Dead Men Walking
by Kelenloth
Summary: Sequal to Dead Men Don't Walk. Aragorn and Legolas have joined the mission to save Capt. Jack Sparrow, and rid the world once and for all of the EITCo. But how much will it cost? Will the two ever get home? LotR/PotC crossover.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: ALRIGHT. There are several things you need to know if you are - for some reason - reading this. First is that this story is EXTREMELY old, and I pretty much hate it. I never quite finished it, although I got pretty darn close. I may write one final chapter one day, but it is unlikely. By request and simply to finish old business, I've decided to post all that I wrote so long ago and forgot to publish at the time. As such, several of the latter chapters of DMW are UNBETAED. So don't say I didn't want you. I haven't even bothered to re-read this whole thing yet, and once again I must repeat, this story is OLD, terribly written, and just... you get the idea. I'll be putting this message on chapter 1 of both stories, and chapter 6 of the latter, as that was where I originally stopped posting. If you want any further information, see my profile page. Basically, if you're just now stumbling onto this story, I suggest you'd just stop reading now and go do something else with your time._  
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_The King and his men stole the Queen from her bed_

_And bound her in he bones_

_The seas be ours and by the powers_

_Where we will, we'll roam._

Elizabeth sang softly as she pushed her little boat forward. The little pole driven canoe glided quietly down the dark water that flooded the strange city. Singapore was a dark, damp, dreary place, secretive, and dangerous. She cautiously lowered her wide, low, Chinese style hat as a battalion of East India Trading Company guards marched over a bridge just behind her.

_Some men have died and some are alive_

_And others sail on the sea_

_With keys to the cage_

_And the devil to pay_

_We lay to Fiddler's Green!_

Her song, slow and enchanting, sang a sad tribute to the world of that age.

_The Bell has been raised from its watery grave_

_Do you hear its sepulchral tone?_

_A call to all, pay heed to the squall_

_And turn your sails toward home!_

It was a strange warning of the modern world, of the demise of this strange, despised race of men she had so quickly been thrust into so long ago. Fighting for freedom, she tried to convince herself that was what they were doing. So many times she had doubted them, doubted her choice of which side to fight for. But every time she looked to the other side and saw the man she hated most, Cutler Becket. She finished the song on the chorus, an inspiring call to arms that went against the rest of the ballad.

_Yo Ho, haul together, hoist the colors high!_

_Heave Ho, thieves and beggars, never shall we die!_

They may have been fighting for freedom, but she was fighting for justice, and peace of mind. _'I'm not sorry."_ Her last words to Captain Jack Sparrow still haunted her. It was a lie if ever there was one. But they would make it all right. Even if it meant sailing off the edge of the map, she would make it up to him. And then, perhaps, her and Will could escape from the cruel world they found themselves in and have peace at last. She hoped so. But first would come the battle for justice.

_Yo Ho, haul together, hoist the colors high!_

_Heave Ho, th-_

"Thief and beggar!" A voice cut her off as she came at last to the dock she was looking for. "Never shall we die!" The dirty, skinny, oriental man finished her song, very off key. "A dangerous song to be singing for anyone ignorant of its meaning." he eyed her as her tension grew. "Particularly a woman." He said, a smile growing on his face. She looked around quickly. Where were they? "Particularly a woman alone." He finished.

"What make you think she's alone?" Captain Barbossa suddenly cam into view, stepping around a set of stone stairs leading to the dock. The men were startled, and they turned to him quickly, asking with angry voices.

"You protect her?" The leader asked.

"What makes you think I need protecting?" Elizabeth answered his question, drawing a knife and holding it to his throat from behind. The other three men pulled their pistols on her, but she did not seem to even notice.

Barbossa waved his companions over, and two men quickly came to his side. Legolas held the arm of a captive, the man's hands were bound behind him and a dark hood was tied around his head. Legolas, his hair pulled back and tucked behind his dark cloak, held the weak looking captive firmly with one hand.

"Your master's expecting us, " Barbossa said, motioning to the captive before turning to Elizabeth "And an unexpected death would put a slight pause on our meetin'." He said. Slowly, Elizabeth drew her knife away.

Silently, one of the oriental men motioned them franticly over. Quickly, all of them pressed themselves against the stone wall they stood by. Barely daring to breath, they watched as a group of East India Trading Company troops marched past on the street above their heads.

"Come." The first man motioned them to follow quickly. Ducking under the bridge, they followed him through the city.

"Have you heard anything from Will?" Elizabeth turned to Barbossa.

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts, and you to remember yer place in front of Cap'n Sao Feng." He told her simply, not wishing to be overheard.

Elizabeth found sarcastic humor in his words "Is he that terrifying?"

"He's much like myself," Barbossa said with a half smile "But absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play." The sarcastic words conveyed how truly merciless the man was.

Their guide soon led them to a large, ornamented house. With a swift knock, there opened a small window in the door, just big enough for a man to look out of. "Hoi." The guide said quickly. The window shut and the door was opened.

Barbossa stepped in, followed by Elizabeth and Legolas. As the elf entered, he threw his captive roughly to the ground, where the man landed on his knees.

"Remove." One of the smaller guards told them, half a request, half an order.

With that, Barbossa disarmed himself, handing over his pistol and sword, and Elizabeth did the same, handing over a small gun, a sword and a dagger. Legolas removed his pack, handing over quiver and bow before taking out one knife and handing the other over.

With his blade he quickly removed his captive's shirt, revealing the mark that identified him as the man Sao Feng wanted. A small Chinese symbol engraved in his flesh. He had received the scar that was the simple sign meaning "horse" last time he had met Feng. All Legolas knew was that the man had upset Feng, as told by the small symbol, a cross with a short squiggle above it, engraved in his left shoulder, and the price on the man's head.

Handing his last weapon over, he grabbed the prisoner by his bound wrists and dragged him to his feet. The dark hood was still about his face, but the scar was enough to tell everybody in the room who he was.

As they walked forward, the guard put his hand up, stopping their progress and turning to Elizabeth. "Do you think because she is a woman we would not suspect her of treachery?" he asked, the question intended for Barbossa, he did not remove his eyes from the woman in front of him.

Elizabeth looked up at him uncomfortably. She had hoped this would not happen.

"Well, when you put it that way…" Barbossa answered with a smile.

"Remove, please." The guard looked to Elizabeth.

Sighing in slight frustration, she glared at him as she took off her hat and outer coat, revealing the large pistol holsters that hung from her neck, holding four weapons at the ready.

The guard smiled at her as she pulled them out, one by one, and laid them on the table, and then took off the holster. His smile quivered as she next reached into her pocket and removed a small grenade.

Everyone in the room stared at her with slight humor, as she stopped, remembering one last thing. Bending backwards, she struggled to pull it out. Finally, from her boot she pulled a large, narrow-nosed blunderbuss.

Barbossa and Legolas could only wonder how on earth she fit the weapon into her boot, as she offered them an innocent shrug.

Stepping forward again, she was surprised when the guard stopped her once more.

"Remove. Please." He said. Elizabeth's brow knotted, looking down at herself and making sure she had no more weapons. She looked back up to see his smile grow larger.

As they walked into the main room of Sao Feng's house, Elizabeth pulled at the bottom edge of her shirt, thankful it was long enough to cover herself.

The room was a wet, smelly, steam filled bathhouse, filled with many large tubs holding many very large men. Passing by all of it, they were led to the far end of the room where, in the fog-like steam, Sao Feng stood.

"Welcome to Singapore." He greeted then in heavily accented English as he turned around. Barbossa bowed low, and motioned for the other to do the same.

Sniffing whatever herb he held in his hand, Sao turned to one of the female attendants. "More steam." He said before continuing. "I understand that you have a... Request... to make of me?" He stated, stepping slowly down to their level.

"More of a proposal to put to ye." Barbossa told him, motioning for Legolas.

The elf silently pushed his captive forward, tossing him once again to his knees, and placing a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Jin Long." Barbossa said, smiling as he watched Sao Feng's face pass from calm, to angry, to pleased, as he barely restrained himself from kicking the man outright.

"I know who he is." Feng assured Barbossa, his tone fierce. "I gave him this…" He said, this time allowing himself to go through with kicking the man, his foot made hard contact with the scarred skin on the man's chest. Jin groaned slightly, but did not make any other response. "And now you ring him back to me? Do you want your gold?"

Barbossa shook his head. "Hear me: I've a venture underway, and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew." He smiled.

"Hmm… it's an odd coincidence…" Sao Feng said, scratching his bald head with his unnormally long and black fingernails.

"Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?" Elizabeth leaned forward.

"No…" Sao Feng looked up. "Because earlier this day, not far from here, a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple, and tried to make of with these." He said, taking from the hands of an older man a tubular case that Legolas instinctively knew were the charts they were after. He tensed slightly, his grip firming on Jin Long's shoulder. Elizabeth and Barbossa looked to each other, both scared, both trying not to show it.

"The navigational charts…" Feng continued, "The route to the Farthest Gate." He said, his tone growing harder with every word. He tossed the charts to one of his men, and continued to question Barbossa. "Wouldn't it be amazing, if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?" He asked, his eyes finding guilt.

"It would strain credulity at that…" Barbossa responded, doing a horrible job at hiding his intentions,

Sao Feng smiled, nodding to the men on their right.

Seconds later, splashing and gasping filled the once quiet room, as they pulled a man up out of the water they had held him in for so long.

William Turner sucked in air greedily as he was finally released from his watery prison. His hands were tied to a rod that rested on the back of his neck, and his whole body was soaked to the bone. He leaned miserably against the hands that held him upright, as Sao Feng continued to question Barbossa and those with him.

"This is the thief. Is his face familiar to you?"

Legolas felt the already large knot in his stomach grow as he and the others were forced to deny the suffering man before them.

Sao Feng drew a large, sharpened, dagger-like Chinese weapon from his belt.

"Then I guess…" Feng told them "He has no further need for it…" he said simply, thrusting the sharp point up towards Will's throat. Legolas barely controlled himself as his heart skipped a beat.

"No! " Elizabeth called suddenly, her hands going to his mouth, too late to stop herself from shouting.

Sao Feng froze. He had expected that. He turned slowly, and smiled as the woman. Taking his knife, he instead slowly applied the pressure he would have done swiftly. Pain flared across Will's face and Elizabeth's eyes went wide.

"No!" it was Legolas to stop him this time. Dropping to one knee, he drew a small knife from his boot he had not handed over before. Holding Jin Long close to him, he pressed the blade up to the man's throat. "You kill him, I let Jin go, you never get you man. I swear, if you kill him I will make sure this man lives longer then you." He said quickly, his eyes hard and serious.

Will's eyes showed extreme relief as Sao Feng finally backed off, putting his knife back into his belt. He smiled at the elf, and then looked back to Barbossa.

"You come into my city." He said "And you betray my hospitality."

"Sao Feng, I assure you, I had no idea-"

"That he would get CAUGHT!" Feng yelled. The tension in the room grew, as all the men climbed out of their tubs, ready for a fight to begin.

"You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones' locker." Sao continued "But I cannot help but wonder… Why."

With a flip of his wrist, Barbossa flung a small coin into Sao Feng's hand. A full, uncut piece of eight. The oriental Captain blew on it and held it up to his ear, listening to the quiet ringing that echoed within.

"The song's been sung…" Barbossa told him, affirming his fears. "The time is upon us. We must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords, you must honor the call." Barbossa said slowly. Feng's face hardened, but he knew what Barbossa said was true.

"More steam." He said quietly to his attendants. "More steam!" He yelled again, when no more came up.

"There is a price on all our heads." Feng continued, as he walked around the room, Passing Legolas, who still stood protectively over the captive witch they had not yet handed over. "It's true... It seems that the only way a pirate can make a profit anymore is by betraying other pirates." He said.

"It be time to put our differences aside!" Barbossa said, "The first Brethren Court gave us the rule of the seas, but now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Becket."

"Against the East India Trading Company what value is the Brethren Court?" Feng asked, not seeing the point. "What can any of us do?"

"You can fight!" Elizabeth said, growing bold, she finally rejected the warnings Barbossa gave her. "Get off me!" she yelled to one of the guards that tried to hold her back. "You are Sao Feng the Pirate Lord of Singapore. You command in an age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters. Where waves aren't measured in feet, but in increments of fear, and those who pass the test become legend. Would you have that era come to an end on your watch?" She questioned provokingly. "The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy, yet you sit here cowering in you bathwater!" she yelled at him, scoldingly and mockingly.

The bold words did not please the Captain. He stepped down closer to her, and she backed up, trying her best to still look bold.

"Elizabeth Swann." Feng said, circling the woman "There is more to you then meets the eye, isn't there? And the eye does not grow wanting." He smiled. In the corner, William struggled slightly in his bonds, not at all happy with where this was going. "But I cannot help but notice…" he said, going back up his steps, "you have failed to answer my question!" He painted a finger at Barbossa. "What is it you seek in Davy Jones' Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow." Will said from his place, still standing Waist deep in steaming hot water.

With the name, Sao Feng's face turned to rage. His two attendants barely restrained their laughter, remembering the quirky Captain much fonder then their master.

Will's brow furrowed at the reaction, wondering if he had said something wrong. "He's one of the pirate lords…"

Sao Feng paced slightly as he tried to control his anger. "The only reason… " He said, walking up to Legolas, who knelt still by his captive, but no longer held the blade to his throat, as one of the guards had taken it. "I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead…" He looked down at the other man who held with him the same position as Jack, but on a slightly lower level. "Is so I could send him back myself!" He yelled, kicking the man before him in the stomach. Jin doubled over with a sharp moan of pain, and Legolas glared up at Sao, but made no move to help the moaning man.

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight." Barbossa pointed out quickly. "He failed to pass it along to a successor before he died. So we must go and get him back." He insisted.

Feng breathed in deeply, setting his jaw. He glanced down to one of the other oriental men before him. His brow creasing, he watched as the black ink of an intricate tattoo on the man's shoulder began to drip off. Another one of Barbossa's tricks.

"So, you admit, you have deceived me." Sao Feng said. Barbossa's face displayed all his confused shock as Feng continued. "Weapons!"

Immediately the whole room was in an uproar. All the men in that baths stood and drew their swords. Barbossa and Elizabeth stepped to the center of the room, and Legolas pulled Jin Long to his feet, standing with him in between Barbossa and Elizabeth.

"Sao Feng, I assure you, our intensions are strictly honorable!" Barbossa shouted.

Suddenly four swords shot up from the floor, blades up. Barbossa and Elizabeth caught them quickly. Legolas smiled a he could see through the cracks in the floorboards Gibbs and some of their crew standing below them in the boiler room.

"Drop you weapons or I kill your man!" Sao Feng yelled, putting his blade to the throat of the man whose tattoo he saw dripping.

Barbossa's brow knotted, looking to Will, Elizabeth, Legolas, and their captive Jin Long. All of them were with him. "Well kill him, he's not our man!" Barbossa yelled.

Sao Feng looked to the small man questioningly.

"If he's not with you, and he's not with us… Who's he with?" Will thought aloud, growing uncomfortable with the situation.

At that moment, a large group of East India Trading Company soldiers burst in with a shout. All divisions between the pirates were forgotten in the ensuing chaos. Legolas quickly spun Jin Long around and severed his bonds. Pulling off his hood, he smiled at the man.

Aragorn smiled back at him, nodding in thanks before bending down and drawing two small knives from his boots. He handed one to Legolas and they joined the fray. Their cleaver disguise, posing Aragorn as Jin Long, had worked. They had gotten inside the building. Even in the chaos, Aragon could not help but smile slightly.

Shoots were being fired everywhere and oriental swords flying. Aragorn redirected a bayonet in time to thrust his blade into the bearer's chest. He turned to see Legolas twirling gracefully even in battle. He would always be amazed by the elves. He ran to catch up to his friend as he heard a battalion of the soldiers lining up behind them. As they arrived by Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and Sao Feng, the men were about to shoot.

"Fire!" he heard the shout. But the ensuing sound was not gunshots but an explosion. The floor underneath the soldiers was blown out from under them, as Gibbs and his men came climbing out.

Legolas grabbed his own weapons as the battle soon spilled out onto the streets and bridges of Singapore. He and Aragorn stayed as close as they could together. It was becoming a hard task. Will took Elizabeth by the arm and did his best to stay with her through the battle, all of them heading toward the docks.

Legolas threw himself to the floor as a blazing red rocket sailed over his head, taking out the man he had been fighting. He watched the small firework make its way into a small hut before exploding, a chain reaction of other rockets in the house that sent of a multicolored flare of dazzling light.

Turning around, He practically ran into Will, looking down to see the charts in his hands. Barbossa, however, beat him to the question. "You have the charts?" He asked as Tia Dalma came up behind him and Aragorn appeared behind Legolas.

"And better yet!" Will told them, "A ship and a crew."

"Where's Sao Feng?" Elizabeth asked as she walked up.

"He'll cover our escapes and meet us at Shipwreck Cove." No one knew how Will accomplished such a feat, but no one bothered to ask.

"This way, be quick!" One of the new crewmembers yelled as he led them to a large ship waiting for them in the harbor. All of them piled on quickly and made way out of the now burning city.

Legolas pulled tight the rope Gibbs pointed him to, as Elizabeth walked up to Tia Dalma. Why Barbossa had insisted she come along, he did not know, but the woman still kept him on edge.

"There's no place left for Sao Feng to cower… Do you think he will honor the call?" Elizabeth asked her.

"I cannot say…," she said, not turning to Elizabeth "There's an evil on these seas that even the most staunch and bloodthirsty pirates have come to fear…" She did not explain her words, for no explanation was needed: Davy Jones.

Legolas tied the rope down and went back to find his friends.

As the crew settled down to begin their voyage, he found Will and Aragorn speaking in one of the crews cabins.

"Will..." Aragorn started. "What happened back there? With Feng and all... I couldn't see much, but what I heard wasn't good." Aragorn asked concerning Will's short captivity.

Will looked to him, his eyes hard; he set his jaw before continuing. "I got caught." He said in short. Aragorn raised his eyebrow at the answer. Such a reply would never do.

Will sighed as he sat down on one of the small beds. "Look, I went in for the charts, and... they were in a temple, so I went in and... I don't know, I guess I didn't do the customs right... Anyway, they found me. So I ran off. I think I lost them, too, but... then I really got caught." he thought back to the incident.

Will looked nervously around. No one. He looked back to the door before him. He was in a secret room, below the temple, and somewhere in these basements, there were guards looking for him. The damp walls dripped strangely, evidence that the basement was truly underwater. Stone and wood lined walls surrounded him in a maze like tunnel through many different rooms, but he knew the way. Barbossa had a friend in Singapore who knew the way, and Will had met with him for this very purpose. He turned round the last corned to find what he needed. On one side of the small, dank room was a bamboo-lined wall.

Drawing his knife, he forced it between two of the vertical pieces, prying open what was actually a door. Behind the small opening in the bamboo lay a stone wall, also divided to make a door, but this time easily seen. He squinted in the low light to make out the latch. It was a puzzle.

Four sliders lined the outside of the door, with three rings in the middle. Will closed his eyes for a moment, trying to remember the combination. First, the top slide, it had to go all the way to the left. And then the right slide to the top. He reached in and set the slides and then turner the out-most circle inside the box the slides made.

_click_

He smiled as he got the first combination right. Next, the bottom slide had to go left, and then the top on back to the middle. The one on the left had to move to the bottom. Or was it just the middle? It was the bottom. He set the slides once more and then turned the second dial.

_click_

He let go a breath he did not know he had been holding. Last dial. This time the right slide moved first. It had to go all the way to the top. Now the top moved left. Now the bottom to the middle. Now the left to the top. Now the right slide moved all the way down. Breathing in deeply, he reached his hand to the last dial, turning it once clockwise.

_click_

Yes! It had worked. He pushed forward on the small dial. It gave way with a thunk, and for one moment, Will could see his prize: The charts.

The next moment it was gone. Will cried out involuntarily as two metal doors clanged shut around the small latch he had just opened. Half a circle was cut out of each side of the metal doors, forming a perfect hole to trap his wrist. He pulled back, but his hand would not come out. He had done something wrong with the dials. And he would now pay.

He heard Chinese voices in the tunnels behind him as his pained cry echoed through the seemingly empty halls. He had to get out. Now. Turning back to the now closed door, he yanked his hand. It would not budge. The sharp metal cut into his wrist mercilessly as his breathing sped up and his motions became more and more frantic. The voices behind him grew louder. His mind screamed. He could not get loose! He tugged harder; striping his wrist off all skin, his heart hammered in his ears as he tired to stop himself from shouting in frightened frustration.

Light seeped down the hallway behind him. They were coming.


	2. Chapter 2

_God help me..._ Will's mind half whispered and half screamed. He had to get out!

At last, they arrived. Will drew his sword with his left hand and tried his best to ward them off, still tethered painfully to the wall.

In moments one man lay dead on the floor, but so did Will's sword. Three more men surrounded him, one of them quickly binding a cloth over his eyes and gagging him. The other two grabbed his arms. Taking his trapped arm in two hands, one man shoved it further into the trap. Will would have cried out in pain had not the gag stopped him as the man proceeded in twisting his arm to the side, pressing on the hard stone on the other side of the metal doors. With a clang, the door opened.

The men quickly bound him, tying his bloody wrist painfully behind him and leading him away.

-- -- -- --

"Then they took me to Sao Feng, I guess that uncle of his wasn't in town..." Will continued to tell his tale.

-- -- -- --

Will was tossed to his knees and the cloth removed from his eyes. He blinked in the low light, still needing to adjust even to the light of candles. He looked up to see who must have been Sao Feng, by what he had heard of the Pirate Lord.

With a curved finger, Sao Feng tipped the still gagged man's head up to look at him. Will struggled slightly in his bonds in the uncomfortable position of looking up at the intimidating man.

"This is him?" Feng asked in a heavy Chinese accent. One of the guards nodded, and Sao looked now to his captive "This is the one that tried to _steal _my _charts_?!" the question needed no response. Feng nodded to the guards behind Will and they quickly stood him up.

"I do not care for thieves..." Feng continued as the guards roughly cut Will's bonds, only to re-tie his hands to a long rod that they rested on his shoulders. "Tell me..." Sao Feng said as his men finished their task. He reached out with a small knife and cut the gag that was still in Will's mouth, "What do you want with these?" he held up the charts. Will set his jaw. Barbossa had warned him to make sure not to give any indication they were together. But he did not know what to say. His lack of response became a response in and of itself as Sao Feng took action against it.

Before Will knew what hit him, he was on the floor. Sao Feng sent a cruel uppercut to his midsection, landing the man on his knees. Will landed oddly, not use to having his hands pinned at the level of his eyes. Feng walked around him slowly, smiling. "You will learn not to keep secrets from me, Whelp." He said, nodding again to his men. They stood Will to his feet quickly, and led him over to a large tub of water. Will finally had a chance to look around and see that they were in fact in a large bathhouse. Many tubs lined the walls, most of them holding many men, the one he was led to was empty.

Steam wafted up from the still water as the two guards holding Will drew him closer, grabbing the rod he was bound with and forcing him to lean over the edge of the tub. Sao nodded to one of the attendants, and the small woman pulled down on a cord that hung from the ceiling, obviously some kind of signaling device, Will did not have to wait long to find what kind of change the cord made. He could feel the steam rising up past his face grow warmer, as the guards smiled, pressing him closer to the surface of the water. Will sucked his breath in sharply. He could feel the heat of the scalding hot water without even touching it. He turned his face away, trying to draw up away from the water. Laughter could be heard by all the Chinese men in the damp room.

"This is what happens to those who try and steal from me." Feng announced to them. With a small nod, Will was plunged under the water.

Like a slap in the face, hot water hit Will, engulphing him in panic. He struggled with his bonds to escape the heat and water to no avail. He could not breathe. Sinking lower into panic, he tried desperately to get up and out, but the guards holding him down were to strong. He was suffocating. He had to get out. Coughing underwater did him more harm than help, he water farced itself into his lungs, causing him to cough harder. He was drowning slowly.

As bubbles ceased to rise from Will's struggles, Sao Feng finally nodded for them to lift him out.

Will gasped, sucking in precious oxygen greedily and trying to shake the water from his eyes. The men all around him laughed as his face turner from relived to frighten as Sao Feng grabbed him by his hair. Tossing him forward by the back of his head, Feng men helped to shove Will all the way into the tub. Tripping, Will fell underwater, immediately sucking in water and sputtering. But he could not rise. Once more, the men held him underwater. Not again. He tried to hold his breath, but could not stop his coughing. His air used up, his frantic mind slowed as he realized once more that he was dieing. Spots flashed before his eyes as he was finally let up once more.

"They're here." A small man ran in to report.

"Delay them." Sao ordered.

Will looked around, who? Was Barbossa coming already? He found his answer as Sao forced his head underwater again. The men held him under once more, this time he was bent over his knees, but the position did not help at all. As he struggled in his bonds, he felt a small knife slip up next to his jaw. He stopped. Moving slightly once more, he felt the blade dig into this skin. So he could not move now. But he could not breathe, either. Will concentrated on simply breathing as he tried desperately to deal with the situation. He tried to still himself and slow his breathing, and at the same time remain conscience. Seconds seemed like centuries as he pondered how long he would have to keep this up.

His mind quickly turned from pondering to screaming at him to breathe. To move, to escape. He could not keep this up. His mind threatened to fail him as his air supply was used and his oxygen starved lungs started to scream at him. Slowly, he body became less responsive, water threatening to slip into his lungs and rob him of all life.

At last, he was let up. Gasping for life, breath, and air, he sucked air in once more, trying to get his lungs to work correctly again...

"This is the thief... Is his face familiar to you?"

-- -- -- --

"And I think you know the rest..." Will said his eyes on the floor. "Get some sleep..." he finished quickly, laying down on the bed he sat on, he rolled over. Aragorn sighed and yawned as he lay down in the bunk across from Will's, as Legolas frowned slightly and climbed into the buck above the ranger. It would be a long trip. They were headed to the ends of the earth. And beyond.

-- -- -- --

The black sky shone with what seemed a million speckles a dazzling light. Below it, the glass like mirror of the sea reflected perfectly each one. It was never day here, but one could never long for day in a place like this. Legolas gazed up at the sky. They had been here for what might have been days now. After the sun set one night it simply never rose up again. But he did not care. He was lost in the beauty of the endless depths above him. Or below. One could barely tell water from sky anymore, but both were equally as beautiful. Their boat made slow process across the dark water, creating strange ripples in the mirror behind them. Comfortable silence hung about them. As if any noise would wake everyone, no one dared speak above a whisper. It was strange. Heavenly was not the word for it, but it was a place that one might never want to leave. The elf sighed softly as he looked up, half wondering if they ever would, in fact leave.

He sat on the anchor, which hung off the bow of the ship, his legs dangling over what looked to be a second sky. Ice still clung to the wet boards of the ship, and every breath still formed as a small cloud before him, but it did not bother him anymore. He thought back to when it had mattered.

-- -- -- --

Aragorn's breath came in slow, shaky gasps as he shivered miserably in the cold. Ice coated ever surface imaginable, and frostbite was commonplace on their small ship. In the middle of a frozen Hell, they made painstakingly slow progress through treacherous waters, walls and pillars of ice rising around them.

The ranger wrapped his coat tighter around him as he tired to pay attention to what Will was doing. Beside him even Legolas shivered, the cold warring on him so much as to affect his normally resistant body. He rubbed his arms with his icy cold hands; his face red with cold, his breath formed a cloud before him.

"Nothing here is set..." Will said, his shaky fingers turning the strange wheels on the ancient charts they had acquired. "These can't be as accurate as modern charts." His voice shook, as his hands, as he spoke.

"No." Tai Haung, the leader of the men they had picked u pin Singapore told him. "But it leads to more places." Will nodded quickly and turned back to his work. He turned the wheels in opposite directions, until a passage of writing appeared. His brow knotting, He leaned forward to find that it was English. "'over the edge, over again.'" He read aloud. Turning one of the rings once more, he was almost caught off guard by more legible writing. Underneath a passage in a language he could not make out, there were English words. "'Sunrise sets, flash of green.'" he read.

"Look." Legolas pointed to the map. As Will turned the rings into position to read the last passage, what had once been recognizable landforms now shaped the body of a great Chinese dragon.

Tai Huang smiled. They were on the right track.

-- -- -- --

The smallest of breezes caressed the elf's face as he thought over the confusing phrases in the starlit dark as a slight mist started to form over the water, floating like a dream past the boat. Barbossa had explained part of it, but not all.

-- -- -- --

"Care to interpret, Captain Barbossa?" Will handed the charts to the captain, as Tai, Aragorn, and Legolas came up behind him. The elf pulled a blanket around himself like a cloak, and the ranger breathed desperately on his frozen fingers.

"Ever gazed upon the green flash, Master Gibbs?" Barbossa turned to the other sailor. Gibbs smiled, turning to explain what he knew to Will.

"I reckon I've seen my fair share. Happens on rare occasion." He said, stepping closer to them "At the last glimpse of sunset a green flash shoot up into the sky!" he said, with hand motions to follow his words. "Some go there whole lives without seein' it. Some claim to 'ave seen it who h'aint." he smiled "And some say-"

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world- from the _dead_!" Pintel shouted from behind them all. Aragorn and Legolas turned surprised eyes on him, as Gibbs looked disgusted and Barbossa nodded, Will looked back to the captain.

"Trust me, young Master Turner: It ain't gettin' to the land of the dead that's the problem." he said, hoisting himself up a bit to adjust the rudder. "It's gettin' back."

-- -- -- --

Legolas contemplated the captain's strange words. For some reason it did not matter to him right now. All that mattered was here, and now. He was lost in the beauty of the stars above, and the water below as he idly wondered if this was what the passage between Middle Earth and Valinor looked like.

"How long do we continue not talking?" He heard Will's voice behind him. The elf turned, caught off guard, to see his friend talking to Elizabeth behind him, on the bow. Neither of them seemed to notice the silent elf's presents, but that was fine with him.

Elizabeth looked to Will, and then back out to the calm sea. "Once we rescue Jack everything will be fine." Elizabeth said, hesitantly, looking down to her hands.

"When we rescue Jack?" Will asked. Their relationship hinged now on Jack Sparrow? Her words confirmed his darkest fears. Looking frustrated, an awkward silence held between the two, before Elizabeth walked back to the helm, leaving Will behind.

Will sighed deeply as he leaned forward on the ships rail. He closed his eyes, going through his frustration in his head. Legolas sat silently watching him from just below the rail, not sure weather to comfort the man or leave him alone.

"Will?" He heard Aragorn's voice form behind the man, as the ranger came up beside his friend. He said not another word, but leaned also against the rail, looking to Legolas for clues on how to continue. The elf could offer nothing, so they turned to tactics of out-waiting.

"I'm loosing her..." Will said at last. It was all that could be said. But it was all that was needed.

"Will..." Legolas spoke at last. The man's head shot up. He had not known the elf was there, but he was not very surprised. "She loves you... Just..." Legolas stopped as Will looked at him, his eyes questioning, hurt, and insecure. They begged Legolas to continue, but challenged his words at the same time.

"It'll be alright." Aragorn interjected in the odd silence that followed, placing a hand on Will's shoulder. The man nodded slowly, looking to the sky.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Legolas smiled, looking again to the stars. Both Will and Aragorn nodded slowly, leaning on the rail. "You know, when the elves first awake this is probably a lot like what they saw." Legolas smiled. Aragorn grinned and nodded, as Will looked curiously down at the elf. He had never believed in such things until he had met Legolas.

Legolas laughed at the man's face, it was not all too common for the ways of the elves to aspire to mortals, but if ever there were two, these were they. Aragorn was raised by Lord Elrond, and the way Will's eyes lit up every time Legolas told him a story of such things, he could tell that it fascinated the man.

"Yes... The stars. I've never seen so many in all my years. And that's saying a lot. They also say that the sea leads to the undying lands. Isn't it a wonder..." Legolas alluded to the fact that there were on their way to the land of the dead.

Aragorn nodded, looking down to his friend and then up to the sky. Something caught his eye half way. Before him, the mist cleared, and he could see the water. in the once endless horizon was now drawn a fine line, as the water sped up and became more disturbed, he had seen such things before, going down rivers. It could only mean one thing. A waterfall. And this was a big one.

"L-Legolas?" He asked, his shocked voice shaky, causing the two others to look up to the horizon. "If the sea leads to Heaven... Does it lead to Hell, too?" He asked, his heart pumping faster as they picked up speed. Slowly, the gigantic waterfall came into view. They were all going to die.

Will's eyes went wide as he ran back to the helm. "Barbossa!" he called. Suddenly the whole ship was waiting to hear the alarm. "Ahead!"

"Aye, we're _good_ and lost now!"" Barbossa answered with a smile as Aragorn and Legolas ran up behind Will.

"_Lost?!"_ Elizabeth questioned.

"For certain you have to be lost to find a place what can't be found. Elseways everyone would know where it was!" Barbossa almost laughed at his own logic, but no one else found it amusing.

"We're gainin' speed!" Gibbs called.

"Aye!" Barbossa nodded, information he already assumed.

"To stations!" Will called to the crew as he ran to held adjust the sails. "ALL HANDS TO STATIONS!" he called them all up, as Aragorn and Legolas tended their now familiar jobs with the ropes. "Rudder full! Hard aport, gatherway!" Will yelled.

"NAY! BELAY THAT!" Barbossa shouted him off, "Let her run straight and true!" He smiled as the rest of the crew went up to see the edge of the world.

"You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth turned back to his accusingly.

"Don't be so unkind." Barbossa smiled "You may not survive to pass this way again, and these be the last friendly words you'll hear!" He placed a hand on her face. Elizabeth looked at him in slight disgust before turning to the situation at hand. They had to turn the ship.

"Tie her off!" Will shouted to Legolas as he ran up to grasp the rudder, pulling with all his might to turn the ship. Legolas quickly tied the rope down and finished his own.

"Hard to port!" Elizabeth yelled, tying a rope of her own.

"HOLD ON!" Will yelled over the rising roar of the water below them, as Barbossa simply held tight and smiled.

Their efforts only seemed to make the imminent fall worse, as they tipped over the edge of the world, stern first.

"Legolas!" Aragorn called, holding as tight as he could to the bow rail. Legolas ran to him up the increasing incline of the tipping ship, grabbing on at the last second before the whole ship fell off the edge of the map.

Barbossa's haunting laughter filled the air as they all fell into black oblivion.


	3. Chapter 3

"This truly is a godforsaken place." Gibbs said as they washed up on shore. No one quite knew what had happened. They had hit the water hard enough, but on one could quite say if they were alive or dead. As the tide carried them, they swam toward what they saw to be shore, strangely close and bright after their long, dark fall. Pulling themselves onto land, along with the wreckage of their ship, everyone squinted into the bright white light that was the sun. Trudging up next to Gibbs, Legolas turned to him, an eyebrow raised at the man's words. Godforsaken? He doubted it.

"I don't see Jack..." Elizabeth walked up next to them, "I don't see anyone." She said, her voice hitching slightly as she made her lungs work correctly after swallowing far too much water.

"He's here!" Barbossa told them, coming up to look at the high desert sand dunes before them. "Davy Jones never once gave up that what he took."

"And does it matter? We're trapped here by your doing, no different then Jack." Will came up behind them, his tone angry.

"Gah!" Legolas turned to see Aragorn jumping away from something. The elf ran over to him quickly.

"What is it?" he asked. Aragorn pointed down to the sand with a strange almost scared and disgusted look.

"The rock moved!" He said, shocked.

"Strider, that's a crab." Legolas smiled at his friend as several smoother little white crabs crawled by his feet. "At least there is _some_ life here!"

Aragorn turned to watch the little crabs, his face wrinkling in disgust as they crawled to Tia Dalma, on of them slipping under the bottom of her dress. She smiled and picked on up, petting it in her hand.

"Witty Jack is closer than you t'ink!" She said, smiling as if she knew something they did not. Which she probably did. She looked up to the top of the nearest dune, directing all eyes to it. Slowly, the top of a mast appeared over it, with black sails.

Legolas' brow knotted. Could his eyes be fooling him? It was the Pearl! Slowly the great ship appeared of the dune, crashing over the crest like that of a wave, it began to slide down, like a ship in slow motion over the sea. Atop the foremast, as proud as ever, rode Captain Jack Sparrow.

"...How?" Aragorn stared at the ship, seeing the strange wave of small white stones under the ship. They were crabs. But it still made no sense. He quickly reasoned that nothing made much sense here, but that was Jack, and that was the Pearl. They whole crew starred wide mouthed as the ship proceeded in sailing down the beech and into the sea beyond.

"Slap me thrice and hand me to me muma. It's Jack!" Gibbs said, going forward to meet the man, who was quickly lowering a rowboat and coming to them. Legolas stood by Elizabeth as she smiled and started forward, but checked herself, and her smile, looking to Will, who looked at her questioningly.

"It's the captain!" Everyone ran down the beach to meet him.

"A sight for sore eyes!" Gibbs added to Pintel's remark.

"Hide the rum!" Cotton's parrot squawked.

"Mr. Gibbs!" Jack yelled strictly, as he walked determinedly up the beach towards them.

"Aye, Cap'n!" Gibbs called, stopping before his old friend.

"I thought so." Jack said, disapprovingly, looking the man up and down. "I expect you're able to account for your actions, then." He said. Gibbs did not know what to say.

"Sir?"

"There has been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline upon my vessel. Why? _Why_ is that, sir?!" He looked to Gibbs for an answer.

"Sir you're..." Gibbs lowered his voice "Yer in Davy Jones' Locker, Cap'n."

Jack starred, his lip twitching slightly, for a moment and a half. "I know that." He said, an obvious lie. "I know where I am." he said, looking around. "And don't think I don't!" He said.

"Jack Sparrow!" Barbossa called the man's attention.

"Oh! Hector!" Jack called back, bringing a slight smile to Aragorn and Legolas' faces at the use of the captain's first name. "It's been too long! ... Hasn't it?" Jack walked up to him.

"Aye." Barbossa nodded "Isle de Muerta, remember? You shot me." the captain smiled.

Jack looked at his for a moment before smiling as if he had heard a joke. "No I didn't! I would remember a thing like that!" He said, before continuing down the line of people that had come to greet him. "Tia Dalma!" he said next, nodding to her. "Out and about, eh? You add and agreeable sense of the macabre to any delirium." he said. Tia smiled hesitantly, not exactly sure what his words meant.

"He thinks we're a hallucination." Will said, his arms crossed. Jack turned to him with a small smile.

"William, tell me something. Are you here because you need my help saving a certain distressing damsel? Er... Damsel in distress, rather?"

"No."

"Then you wouldn't be here would you? So you can't be here. Q.E.D. _You're not really here_!" Jack turned to the two beside Will, Aragorn and Legolas. "Besides, these two live in a different world, why would they be here?"

From behind them, Elizabeth spoke up. "Jack? This is real. We're here." she said. Jack looked to her, realization dawning. He stopped for a moment, his mouth open to say something; he suddenly turned and ran back to Gibbs.

"The Locker, you say?"

"Aye."

"We've come to rescue you!" Elizabeth spoke up as Jack rubbed his head, finally realizing that he was, in fact, dead.

"Have you now? Jacks said, his voice turning skeptical again as he turned around. "That's very kind of you. But it seems as since I posses a ship and you don't. You are the ones in need of rescuing, and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood." He smiled at Elizabeth.

"I see my ship!" Barbossa spoke up. "Right there." he pointed to the Black Pearl. Jack looked, coming around the taller man to look on the horizon.

"Can't spot it! Must be a tiny thing hiding somewhere behind the Pearl!" he said, knowing that Barbossa truly meant the Pearl, but was wrong in calling it his.

"Jack!" Will called the captains attention to real matters "Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones." He confronted the man. They needed action, and they needed it now. "He controls the Flying Dutchman."

"He's taking over the seas!" Elizabeth added, coming up behind Will.

"The song has already been sung, the Brethren Court is called." Tia Dalma came up beside Jack.

Jack tried to take in the information, "leave you people alone for a just a minute and look what happens! Everything's gone to pot!"

"Aye, Jack, the world needs you back somethin' fierce!" Gibbs implored his old captain.

"And you need a crew." Will spoke up, gaining there end of the deal.

Jack turned at the statement. It was true, but that did not mean he had to do as Will wanted. "Why should I sail with any of you?" He asked, "Four of you've tried to kill me in the past, one of you succeeded." He looked to Elizabeth. Will's brow creased for a moment as he turned back to her. She had what? She looked back to him, unsure of what to say, neither protesting the accusation not admitting to it.

"Oh..." Jack said. "She's not told you. You'll have loads to talk about while you're here." he said, smiling and walking forward. Now... As for you..." he turned to Tia Dalma with a frown.

"Now..." She said "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy it at the time..." She said, defending some hidden accusation. Jack smiled slowly.

"Fair enough, alright, you're in." He said, turning to Regetti next. "Don't need you, you scare me..." He walked to Aragorn and Legolas and stopped, looking them up and down and cocking his head. "I was wrong...six of you have tried to kill me..." He said, passing them by and moving on. "Gibbs, you can come, Marty..." he skipped over Pintel with a slightly disgusted grunt and came to Cotton "Cotton... eh... cotton's parrot a little iffy, but at least I'll have someone to talk to." He continued down the line. "Who are you?" He stopped at the group of men from Singapore.

"Tai Huang. These are my men." He answered.

"And where do your allegiances lie?" Jack continued to question him.

"With the highest bidder."

Jack smiled. "I have a ship!"

"That makes you the highest bidder." Ti Huang smiled at him.

"Good man!" Jack said, turning to everyone he had invited "Weigh anchor all hands, prepare to make sail!" he said, opening his compass as they all headed towards the ship. The needle spun around maddeningly. He shut it quickly, a look of displeasure on his face.

"Jack..." Barbossa called his attention to where he, Aragorn, Legolas, Will, Elizabeth, Pintel, and Regetti were standing. "Which way you goin', Jack?" he asked, drumming his fingers on the charts.

-- -- -- --

"Trim that sail!" Barbossa strode down the deck.

"Trim that sail!" Jack echoed, walking slower on the other side.

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Haul and pennant line!"

"H-Haul the pennant line!" Jack continued to echo the orders, less sure o himself and trying but failing to hide it.

"_What_ are ya doing?" Barbossa confronted him loudly.

"What are _you_ doing?" Jack replied.

"No, what _are_ you doing?

"What are_ you _doing?"

"NO, what _are _ya doin'!?"

"What are _you_ doin-mmm... Captain gives orders on a ship." Jack said.

"The Captain is giving orders!" Barbossa yelled.

"My ship, makes me captain!" Jack said.

"They be my charts!" Barbossa retorted, shaking the charts in his hands.

"That makes you... Chart man!" Jack offered.

"STOW IT! The both of ya! That's an order, understand?!" Pintel stepped up suddenly. All motion on the deck stopped, all eyes turned to Pintel. "Uuhh... Sorry. I just though that with the captaining' issue in doubt I'd throw in my name for consideration... Sorry." He said shakily, as Barbossa and Jack stared at him, and then stepped out of their way as both of them ran up to the helm of the ship.

"I'd vote for ya... " Regetti said quietly.

At the helm, Barbossa pulled out his telescope, aiming at nothing in particular, but showing the piece off.

Jack smiled as he pulled out his own. He could top that. He drew it out one section at a time. One. Two. Two. That was it. He muttered something under his breath as he put the tiny piece away. Barbossa only smiled, glorying in the length of his telescope.

Aragorn shook his head from his place on the main deck at the two as he did their orders, not sure of whose order it was he was following.

Down below him Elizabeth sat on the steps to main hold. Will walked up to her.

"You left Jack to the kraken?" he asked.

"Well... He's rescued now, it's done with," She told him, trying to defend from the guilty charge still felt on her heart. Will looked away. "Will, I had no choice!" Elizabeth stood to her feet. Above them Aragorn finished tying off the ropes that halt the foremast and busied himself idly as he listened to the conversation below.

"You chose not to tell me." Will accused, his tone extremely hurt.

"I couldn't!" She said as he turned around. "It... It wasn't your burden to bear."

"But I did bear it, didn't I?" He looked her in the eye. "I just didn't know what it was." he was talking as much to himself as he was to her. "I... I thought..."

Realization dawned on Elizabeth. She looked up to Will with slightly disgusted eyes. "You thought I loved him." She said, her voice a bit displeased, she turned to go.

Will stopped her, grabbing he by the shoulders, he stepped her back towards on of the pillars holding the deck above them up. "If you make your choices alone, how can I trust you?" he asked, his eyes searching for some hold for his very hurt heart.

Elizabeth looked at him for a long while, thinking of what to say. "... You can't..." She said at last, pushing past him, she ran up the stairs to the main deck.

Will's hand rested on the pillar in front of him. He was frozen for a moment. Had she really just said that? His head snapped up as Aragorn descended the steps. The ranger looked to him, with years of experience with people like his brothers and Legolas, he could spot the first signs of unshed tears welling up in his eyes, but he knew the man would never let them fall. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, before walking swiftly down to the cabin he slept in. Aragorn frowned, not knowing exactly what to do, but very displeased with Elizabeth for what she had said.

-- -- -- --

Legolas looked to the black sky. There were no stars this time. None. And it robbed from him something deep in his heart. Their desperate pull towards a goal they may never find because even more upsetting when there were no stars. Already they were running low on water and food, and now the stars were absent. He had heard Tia Dalma say that if they did not find a way out soon they may be trapped forever, and forever seemed an awfully long time, even to an immortal, if there were no stars. He tried not to think what would happen if the rest of the crew died before he did. Curse his immortal blood.

"Eerie... Oh that's downright macabre..." The elf heard Pintel's voice call from the bow of the ship. He looked down to the water below. Under them, past them, beside them, images floated past the water. The elf gasped, taken back slightly. Ghosts of those long dead floated by on the slight waves.

"A... Aragorn..." He called his friend. The man came up to him and looked down, his mouth dropping open; they both stared at the shapes.

_thunk thud_

Legolas' head shot up at the sound of two metal balls being dropped onto the deck. He looked up tot see Tia Dalma speaking to Pintel and Regetti.

"They should be in the care of Davy Jones." she told them, her tone harsh but sad. The elf's brow wrinkled as he stepped closer to hear the conversation, with Aragorn right behind him.

"That was the duty him was charged with by the goddess, Calypso." they heard her say. Legolas looked to Aragorn, both of them showing dislike for the name, not believing in the 'goddess', but both wanting to hear the rest of the conversation. After all, they had not believed in Davy Jones either. "To ferry those who die at sea to the other side. And in ten years, him could come ashore to be with she who love him... truly." she said, her voice sounding as if she would cry. "But the man has become a monster."

"You mean..." Regetti spoke up, "He wasn't always so... tenticley?" He made a strange hand motion under his chin.

"No..." Tia Dalma told him, stroking a pendant that hung around her neck "He was a man... Once."

Legolas looked down to the pendant. It was a small locker, shaped somehow like a heart and like a crab at the same time; it had the image of a woman, probably a nymph, of the outside. The elf's breathing hitched at the sight. It was the same design he had seen on Davy Jones' music box the night they had stolen they key.

Running back to the main deck, Legolas left Aragorn behind to search out Will. The ranger started after him, but was stopped by Regetti's next comment. "Now it's boats coming..." he looked up to see hordes of little longboats coming their way. Each of them with a man, woman, or child on it, along with a lantern. The people stared blankly out before them, none of them paying the pearl any heed.

"Will..." Legolas found the man as Will reached out to stop Gibbs from loading his musket.

"They are no threat to us..." He said. "Am I right?" He turned to Tia Dalma, ignoring Legolas.

"We are not but ghosts to them." She answered.

"It's best just leave them be..." Barbossa added.

Legolas came up behind Will to whisper in his ear. Now that the entire crew was out, he didn't want them all to know. "Tia's locket..." he whispered to him. His brow knotted slightly as he discreetly looked down to it. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he nodded at Legolas. But the exchange was cut short.

"It's my father, we've made it back!" Elizabeth said happily. All heads snapped up to see Governor Weatherby Swann, who sat in a longboat off their portside, starring aimlessly into the distance. Aragorn and Legolas had both seen him once before, but it had been a long time. "Father!" she called to him. "Father here, look, here!!" She called to him as a young child.

"Elizabeth... "Jack called quietly from behind her. "We're not back."

Elizabeth starred at him for a good long minute before looking back, her face becoming distraught when her father did not respond. "Father!" she called again, more strictly this time. At last, he noticed her.

"Elizabeth!" He called back, "Are you dead?" he asked, his voice tired and far off.

"No... No." Elizabeth shook her head quickly as she walked down the port side, trying to keep pace with the speed of the longboat floating past them.

"Oh... I think I am..." the Governor said.

"No... No you can't be!" Elizabeth called back, her voice demanding that he be alive, and on the verge of tears.

"There was this chest, you see?" Swann continued, "It's odd... At the time it seemed so important." he almost laughed.

"Come aboard!" his daughter called to him.

"And a heart..." He went on, ignoring her. "I learn that if you stabbed the heart, yours must take its place, and you would sail the seas for eternity. The Dutchman must have a captain." He laughed "Silly thing to die for."

"Someone... Cast a line!" Elizabeth called to the crew and then turned back to him "Come back with us!" Marty went to go fetch a line, but he did not do it fast enough for her... Running back, she grabbed the rope and flung it overboard, the line draping over the boat her father was in.

Beside Legolas, Tia Dalma turned to Will "A touch..." she whispered "Of destiny." Will looked uncomfortable next o her, having seen her connection with Davy Jones.

"Take the line." Elizabeth instructed her father as she tried to follow the boat's speed, but he did not move.

"I'm so proud of you, Elizabeth." he said calmly.

"Father the line, take the line!!" his daughter called frantically, desperate now, and screaming through tears as the rope slipped off of her father's boat and out of reach. "FATHER!" She called, running full pace now after him.

"She must not leave the ship!" Tia Dalma yelled to the others, and they immediately went after her.

"Please come with us!" she shouted, as Will grabbed her to pull her back from the edge of the top deck. "Please! No! No, I won't leave you!! " She half shouted half sobbed desperately, her heart seeming to rip in two before here eyes.

"I'll give your love to your mother, shall I?"

"Please, I won't let you go!" Elizabeth screeched after him, her voice horse with screams and tears.

"Elizabeth." Will pulled her back. Elizabeth turned around and crashed into him, automatically pulling him close, she sobbed quietly into his shirt, pressing her head on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, rocking slightly, trying to comfort her. No matter how much he was displeased with her recently, he would always love her, and could not deny her comfort at such a time.

"Is there a way?" He questioned Tia Dalma, wanting only for Elizabeth to be happy.

Tia shook her head. "Him at peace."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm soooo sorry this took so long to put up! I kinda.. heh.. forgot about uploading it- I thought I already had... anyway, here, I'll give all my readers this extra long chappy in exchange for my forgetfulness...

* * *

Aragorn raised his water skin to his lips, tipping his head back until the bottle was vertical. No water came out. He leaned back farther, almost falling over, and squeezed the skin, but nothing came out. Sitting up, he threw the skin to the ground in frustration. That was the third time in five minutes he had tried and found the same thing: his water skin was empty. Beside him, Pintel did the same with a water gourd, catching the very last drop on his tongue; the man panted in the heat.

"No water. Why is all but the rum gone?"

"Rum's gone too..." Gibbs added not far off, tipping an empty glass bottle to his lips.

It had been a full day, and Elizabeth still sat curled into herself on the steps to the upper deck, crying and mourning softly. Legolas leaned back from his place on the floor, leaning against the main mast in its shadow to block the killer sun. Will leaned over the port rail, watching as the sun set as slowly as he had ever seen it.

"If we cannot escape these doldrums before night I fear we will sail on trackless seas, doomed to roam the reach worlds... forever." Tia Dalma said, coming up beside Will to watch the last minutes of daylight fade away. It was too late now.

"With no water, forever seems to be arriving a mite to soon…" Gibbs grumbled, joining them at the rail. Aragorn joined Legolas by the mast. The elf had shared his thoughts on the matter with him last night, and the news was not welcome to the elf. He sat down and handed his friend his water skin, forgetting once more that it was empty.

"Strider..." Legolas did not take the bottle. He knew it was empty and reminded his friend, as the ranger realized the problems with his actions.

"Oh..." he said, throwing the bottle to the ground once more and letting his head fall to hit the mast.

"Me eye, give it back!" Regetti yelled after Barbossa's monkey.

"There's no sense to it..." Gibbs said as he walked to the Starboard rail.

"And the green flash happens at sun set, not sunrise." Will added.

"'Over the edge'... Agh, it's drivin' me over the bloomin' edge!" Gibbs muttered. "Sunrises don't set..."

Aragorn looked wearily up at Jack as the captain toyed with the charts.

"Up is down..." the captain muttered. "Well that's just... maddeningly unhelpful. Why are these things never clear?" he said. Legolas rolled his eyes. Everything about that chart was maddening and unhelpful, and none of it was clear. "What? Eh?" Jack looked startled, looking to his left. "Come again?" he said, looking now to his right.

Legolas' brow creased as he elbowed the ranger beside him, who had just about fallen asleep. The two watched as Jack's actions grew only weirder.

"Well that's even more than less then unhelpful." He said, talking to himself. "I love the sea..." He mentioned, smiling and thinking of the sea. Aragorn could barely stifle a laugh at the random comment. "I prefer rum, rum's good," the captain went on to comment.

Legolas turned to Aragon in slight disbelief. They had always thought Jack Sparrow slightly mad, but this?

"Once every ten years..." Jack seemed to inform his shoulder. "Even longer given the deficit of rum..." Jack muttered, his comments at least linking a little bit this time. He looked to his other shoulder in slight disgust, before suddenly looking forward again, his face lighting up "Oh, I like that!" He said. A moment later he looked to his shoulder in disgust again, before looking over the horizon, and then back to the charts. "Not sunset... Sundown!" he spoke, louder, as he turned a wheel on the charts. "And rise. Up!" he said, standing to his feet.

Aragorn and Legolas were now fully immersed in the odd behaviour, and found themselves on their feet with the captain.

"Oh! What's that?!" Jack yelled, running to the starboard rail. "Oh what _is_ that? I don't know! What do you think?" He held conversation with himself as the rest of the crew ran to the rail, trying to spot whatever it was.

"Where?" Aragorn asked.

"There!" Jack pointed out over the water, but there was nothing.

"Ah!" Jack yelled, running across the deck to the Port side. Grunting and stammering in frustration, he looked for 'it' again over the rail, and then ran back to the starboard side. "Wo- oh!" he called, stopping for only a moment before running back to the Port rail.

Soon the whole crew was following him back and forth, even Elizabeth, who had been drawn out of her mourning.

"What is it?" she called. Legolas shrugged as once again Jack drew them all to the other side.

"He's rockin' the ship." Pintel pointed out.

"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs called, somehow finding joyous humour in the situation. With every pass and run, the ship rocked farther and the incline they ran up steeper.

Barbossa looked at what Jack had done to the charts "Aye. He's onto it," he said and joined their running.

"He's rockin' the ship!" Pintel repeated.

"Come on," Regetti called him "we'll tie each other to the mast upside down, so when the boat flips, we'll be the right way up!" he called.

"Yes!" Pintel ran with him to execute the brilliant plan.

Legolas rolled his eyes at the men, struggling to follow through.

"Time it with the swell!" Barbossa called to the runners before going into the main hold. "Loose the cannons, you lazy bilge rats!" He yelled "Unstow the cargo, let it shift" he yelled, grabbing an axe and chopping at a net that held many crates and barrels in place.

With every run, it became harder to reach the other side, and with every turn, they came closer to their crazy goal. Holding tightly to the rail so as not to fall into the sea, Aragorn was almost sure this would be it. But as the boat swayed down again they were forced to run back once more.

Cargo crashed beneath them as they at last made it to the other side. All hand grasped tightly to the broken rail for dear life as the ship came to the verge of tipping. For a long moment, their feet came out from under them as gravity did its work to kill them all. The painstakingly slow process of the ship sent many sailors to their graves.

"Hold on..." Legolas shouted over the loud creaking of the wood and splash of water. Beside him, Aragorn struggled to obey, his knuckles white as he held on.

As the starboard rail splashed into the water below it finally dawned on them that they were actually living most mariners' worst nightmare, causing the boat to fall over on them.

"Now up... is down!" Jack said as the mast crashed into the water. The speed picked up all too quickly, crashing them into the water below.

"Will!" Elizabeth tried to call, but underwater it did no good, as Will lost his grip and began to sink down to the bottom of the ocean. Aragorn looked to Legolas. They had to save him. Legolas grabbed the ranger's shirt and looked him in the eye, as Aragorn nodded once and then ripped away to follow Will. Legolas could not sit and watch in fear as his friends drowned. He released the rail to follow his friends.

Aragorn swam down, finding himself heavier than ever in this water. He caught up to Will, who was trying desperately to stop himself on the rope that slipped through his fingers. Logic kicked in: this was not right. People float. But up was down, and everything was backwards. He caught Will around the waist, looping his arm around the rope that his friend fumbled with, he finally caught hold. Will grabbed the rope at last, as it rubbed harshly against Aragorn's arm because of the strange weight that they pulled down with. Legolas caught the rope, using all the strength in him to stay near the boat, he locked his feet onto the rail everyone else hung on and strained his arms to help lift his friends up. It was not working. The rope slipped through his hands too quickly. He could not help them at all. Panic and helplessness threatened to set in, as he looked up to see what looked like the surface of the sea above them coming crashing down.

"Aragorn!" he tried to call to his friend, but it was no use. The man looked up just in time to see what was happening, as Will pulled them over to the more stable rigging, and they held on for dear life.

With a crash, the Pearl surfaced, water washing over everything and everyone. Legolas wondered if this is what it felt like to be aboard the Flying Dutchman when she surfaced. Aragorn and Will crashed to the deck, falling from the rigging in the wave, and Legolas was the first to assist them up.

"Blessed sweet westerly!" Gibbs called, looking to the sky and sun, "we're back!"

Elizabeth stood to see where he was looking. "It's a sunrise..." She said, looking to watch the beautiful golden orb raise her head above the sea, painting sky and cloud marvellous shades of pink, orange and purple.

_click_

Barbossa drew his pistol on Jack. Immediately Elizabeth, Will, and Gibbs drew their own on Barbossa. Aragorn and Legolas grabbed for their bows, but did not draw. Jack drew his pistol on Will, who drew a second towards Jack, as Jack drew a second towards Elizabeth, who drew her own second gun on him.

"We need our pistols, get untied, hurry!" Pintel called to his friend.

For a tense moment they simply stood there, Will aiming at Jack and Barbossa, Jack at Will and Elizabeth, Elizabeth at Jack and Barbossa, Barbossa at Jack and Will, and Gibbs at Barbossa and Will. No one moved. No one dared.

"Hah..." Barbossa laughed, a laugh that was soon found contiguous, and sent them all to finding the humor in the situation, lowering their guns.

"Alright, then!" As fast as it had stopped, it started again, as Barbossa drew on a serious look once more, and all pistols went back to their aimed positions. "The Brethren Court is a-gatherin' at Shipwreck Cove, and Jack, you and I are a-goin', and they'll be no arguin' that point." Barbossa said.

"I is arguin' it!" Jack spoke up. "If those pirates are gathering I'm pointing my ship the other way." He said, his voice cocky and prideful.

"The Pirates are gathering to fight Beckett, and you're a pirate." Elizabeth stated, moving her second gun from Barbossa to Jack. He matched her two barrels, as Will moved both of his towards Jack as well. Jack moved his first pistol back to Will as the confrontation carried on.

"Fight or not, you're not running, Jack." Will told him.

"If we don't stand together they'll hunt us down, one by one till there's none left." Barbossa told him "But you," he said threateningly.

"Quite like the sound of that!" the threat worked in a backwards manner. "Captain Jack Sparrow. The last pirate."

"Aye." Barbossa stepped closer, keeping his pistol on Jack; he lifted his other one at Gibbs, who stood behind him with a gun. "An' you'll be fightin' Jones alone, how does that figure into your plan?"

"I'm still working on that." He said, moving his pistol to Barbossa, "But I will not be going back to the Locker, mate. Count on that." He said, pulling the trigger.

_click_

The gun spurted water from its powder lock.

_click __click _

_click __click __click __click_

_click_

_click_

All of them tried to fire their pistols, but no bullets were shot.

"Wet powder!" Gibbs summarized.

Legolas laughed as he held his bow, arrow ready, and drawn to his chin. Wet powder could not stop him. Jack stood still for a moment as he saw the large tipped arrow pointed at him.

"Jack. You are coming," Legolas told him. Jack opened his mouth to protest. Quickly Legolas walked forward until he pinned the captain to the mast, his sharp arrow touching under Jack's chin. "Jack," he said strictly. "Don't make me do this..." The man nodded at last. "Good!" Legolas smiled as he put his bow away. Aragorn smiled at him as the two walked off.

"Wait!" Pintel called to those that had abandoned their guns "We can still use 'em as clubs!" he said.

"Look," Will said, pulling out the charts. "There's a fresh water spring on this island," he said; having gone over the charts so many times on the way to the locker was finally paying off. "We can resupply there and get to shooting each other later." He told Jack and Barbossa.

"You lead the shore party; I'll stay with my ship." Jack said to Barbossa.

"I won't be leaving _my_ ship in your command!" Barbossa shot back

"Why don't you both go ashore and leave the ship in my command?" Both of the captains stared at Will as if he were mad. "Temporarily," he added.

Barbossa nodded, going to the starboard rail and pulling out his telescope to search out the island. Beside him, Jack smiled, lifting his own telescope. This time he had it. A huge, bent telescope that could barely be called practical and actually did not work that well. He lifted it to his eye proudly as Barbossa rolled his eyes and looked through his own.

"We'll stay here with you; they can get the water... " Legolas told Will

"No," he answered, more sharply than he intended. "No, I mean you don't have too. Don't you elves like land? I mean... you told me quite a while ago you were getting tired of being on a ship all the time..." He tried to explain his sharp words. "Go ahead with them, I'll be fine..."

Legolas' brow knotted for a moment. "Um... alright, then... I do like solid ground. What do you say, Strider?"

Aragorn, once again, was leaning back and trying to get water out of his water skin, which he, in the back of his mind, knew to be empty. "Hmm?" he grunted, still leaning back with his mouth open.

"Strider!" Legolas called him, knowing the bottle had long been empty.

"What?" Aragorn straightened up and acted like it had never happened.

"Alright, you're coming just so I can make sure that water skin of yours is good and full..." The elf rolled his eyes at his friend. Will smiled at the two as they climbed into one of the long boats that was setting off. He had tried to get Elizabeth to go too, but she had insisted on staying behind this time.

Will swallowed hard as he prepared for what could be the worst thing he had arranged in his life to come about.

"Ooh!" Legolas called with a bit of a laugh as he watched Pintel and Regetti's longboat be flipped by the cresting waves, just as it had when they cad first come to the Caribbean, so long ago it seemed. He ran over to help the downed men up and out of the water, with a laughing ranger on his tail. As all of the longboats finally made it to the black sand beech, they finally took a look around.

"Criminy..." Pintel muttered, looking up the coast. Legolas' eyes followed his to see what it was. A huge form lay beached on the shore, gulls pecking at it and the waves caressing it. It was a somehow familiar shape similar to a dead squid. The Kraken.

"Valar..." Aragorn muttered beside his friend, as they set off to get a closer look.

Walking with Jack, Barbossa, Pintel, and Regetti, they ran in front of the rest of the Chinese men that had come to look at the beast. It lay dead on the beech, but Pintel and Regetti were still cautions.

"Careful, careful!" Regetti called as Pintel got up the courage to poke the dead animal.

"Stupid fish!" Pintel called, as he and Regetti proceeded in climbing on top of it.

"Pintel and Regetti: Kraken slayers!" he called; Legolas and Aragorn laughed to see them, and the ranger could not help but mount the animal himself.

"Legolas!" he called, standing on one of the giant tentacles. "Legolas, look at this!" He bent down, pulled something off the rubbery skin, and brought it back to the elf. "Look!" he handed his friend an elven arrowhead, one of Legolas' own, that had been embedded in the Kraken's flesh. Legolas laughed to see it again, opening a pouch on his quiver he slipped the arrowhead back in. Raniean and Trelan would never believe him, but it would be nice to remember how he had survived such a fight. If they ever got home, that was.

"Still thinkin' of runnin', Jack?" Barbossa asked, as the captains looked into the eye of the creature that had once killed Jack before, lying dead on the beech now.

It was a pity, really, however odd it may seem, that such an amazing creature was gone. The old days truly were dying fast. Why, Jack could remember the days where tales of adventure, monsters, treasure, and _freedom_ were not tales but lives. When the sea was his only home, and it was his dream-home.

"Think you can outrun the world?" Barbossa continued. "You know the problem with bein' the last of anything... by and by there'll be none left at all." He said.

"Sometimes things come back, mate." Jack tried to put a good light on the sad situation. "We're living proof, you and me."

"Aye, but that's gamble of long odds, ain't it?" Barbossa asked, not expecting an answer. "There's never a guarantee of comin' back. But passin' on, that's dead certain." He said.

"Summoning the Brethren Court, then, is it?" Jack asked, as if considering it truly for the first time.

"It's our only hope, lad." Barbossa said.

Behind them Aragorn and Legolas listened, not totally grasping the situation; it reminded Aragorn of what Elizabeth said in Singapore. "_You command in an age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters. Where waves aren't measured in feet, but in increments of fear, and those who pass the test become legend. Would you have that era come to an end on your watch?" _

"That's a sad commentary in and of itself..." Jack said, looking away.

"The world used to be a bigger place." Barbossa sighed.

"No..." Jack looked back to him. "The world's still the same, there's just... Less in it."

Aragorn frowned. It truly was a sad fate for legend to die. If ever he were to become king in Middle Earth, he surely would let it remain, no mater the industrial limits he had to put on the progress of people. Not all change was good, and if this is what change was, then he would have it the old way for ten thousand years before letting legend die and everything truly inspiring come to be concurred by such cowardly, power-abusing men as those he saw here and now.

"Come on... " Jack called them as he looked to the forest. "The water's in here somewhere."

Trekking through the woods, Aragorn and Legolas kept to the front of the group, practicing their long-unused skills of the woods. It felt good to be on land again, no matter how far away from home they were. And in no time, they found the spring.

"Ugh!" Aragorn called, jumping back a bit from the water he had found. Legolas looked over to see his fright: a dead body lay face down in the water. He gasped slightly, as Barbossa came up and tested the water.

Dipping his finger in, the captain tasted the water, only to spit it back out. "Poisoned." He said, disappointed. "Fouled by the body."

"I guess we'll have to find a different spring..." Aragorn muttered, fingering his empty water skin, Legolas glared at him, telling him not to lift it to his lips

"Hey, I knew him!" Pintel spoke up as he rolled the body over "He was in Singapore!"

"Captain!" Marty, their look-out, called, pointing to the beach.

"Hoy!" Regetti called from the beach. "We've got company!!" He yelled, pointing to the Pearl, as a Chinese junk made its way towards the ship that Barbossa and Jack both called their own.

At once, all the Chinese men with them drew their pistols and aimed them at their companions. Legolas went for his bow, but was stopped by a cold metal barrel pressed to his head, as was Aragorn. Jack found himself surrounded by pistols. "Uh..." he said and then pointed to Hector Barbossa. "He's the captain..."

The Chinese men escorted them back to the Pearl, which they found intact but swamped by Chinese men. Barbossa was the first onto the ship, followed by Jack, Aragorn, Legolas, Regetti, and Pintel. All but the captains were immediately put in irons and shoved into line with the rest of the crew that had stayed behind. Legolas stood next to Elizabeth, but he did not see William anywhere among them. He only hoped the man was safe.

"Sao Feng," Barbossa addressed their captor "You showin' up here is a truly remarkable coincidence..." he said, as Jack hid behind him.

"Jack Sparrow..." Feng addressed the man, paying Barbossa no heed. "You paid me great insult, once," he said as Jack came out of hiding.

"That doesn't sound like me..." Jack's words were immediately rewarded with a swift punch in the face that caused everyone on the boat to flinch slightly. He rubbed his now bleeding nose as they continued. "Shall we just call it square, then?" he asked.

"Release her." Will's voice came from beside the main mast, as he pushed past the Chinese men, unbound and unhindered, and pointed to Elizabeth "She's not part of the bargain," He told them.

"And what bargain be that?" Barbossa asked.

Sao Feng turned to his men. "You heard Captain Turner. Release her!" he told them.

Jack's eyes went wide "Captain Turner?!" He almost laughed at the name. As they unlocked Elizabeth, Legolas and Aragorn could not help but turn hurt eyes to Will. He had planned this? And not told anyone? How much had he been hiding? Aragorn's thoughts floated back through all they had done together, On the Isle de Cruses, against the Kraken, aboard the Dutchman. He had led Will to God, and this is what became of it all?

"Aye, the perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!" Gibbs spoke up to answer Jack.

"I need the Pearl to free my father," Will said, defending his cause. He looked to Jack, and then to Elizabeth, his eyes glancing over Aragorn and Legolas in-between, he could not meet their eyes. "That's the only reason I came on this voyage," he said. It was not completely true. He had, in fact, come partially for Elizabeth's sake, but he did not wish to think on such things at the moment, not with her mad at him like this.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" She walked up to him, now unbound, and looked to him with hurt eyes.

"It was my burden to bear..." He said, looking away. He could no longer return her stare.

"He needs the Pearl... Captain Turner needs the Pearl!" Jack said, again almost laughing at the concept of Will being Captain of the Black Pearl "And you felt guilty," he turned to Elizabeth and then Barbossa "And you and your brethren court." He scoffed. "Did no one come to save me _just_ because they missed me?" he asked. Slowly hands were raised from a few members of the Pearl's original crew. Jack smiled at those who raised their hands. "I'm standin' over there with them!" he told Sao Feng and started to walk over.

Sao caught him halfway, holding him by a firm hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Jack... but there is an old friend that wants to see you first." He told Jack with a wicked smile.

"I'm not sure I can survive any more visits from old friends..." Jack said, unsure of what Feng meant.

"Here is your chance to find out!" Feng told him, escorting him to the Port rail to see a large ship on the horizon, sporting the flag of the East India Trading Company.

"Ship oars!"

"Be on your guard, men."

The shouts of disciplined soldiers rang over the waters as the East India trading company soldiers passed onto the Pearl. Jack had been taken aboard their ship, the Endeavor, where Cutler Beckett await him, and the company looked next to the Pearl to join their fleet.

"My men are crew enough." Sao Feng tried to convince Mercer, Becket's right-hand man, that the new soldiers were not needed.

"Company ship, company crew," Mercer said in short. The Chinese pirate was not happy.

"You agreed." Will came up to them quickly, turning to the both of them at once. "The Black Pearl was to be mine." He said, very put out as the ship he needed was passed on to Sao instead of him.

"And so it was." Sao said with a small smile, nodding to one of his men, who promptly threw his fist into Will's stomach, doubling the man over, before quickly forcing him and Elizabeth back in line with the others and chaining them together next to Aragorn.

Sao Feng followed Mercer, his displeasure growing as more and more of the foreign soldiers poured out to crew his ship. A company ship now.

"Beckett agreed, the Black Pearl was to be mine." He said.

"Lord Beckett's not going to give up the only ship as can outrun the Dutchman, is he?" Mercer answered bluntly, with absolutely no care for the pirate lord before him.

Sao Feng watched him go, rage written on his face, as Barbossa, still chained, approached him.

"Shame they aren't bound to honor the code of the Brethren, isn't it?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "Because honor's a hard thing to come by nowadays." He said, his words slightly accusing to the other captain.

"There is no honor in remaining with the loosing side." Sao Feng defended. "Leaving it for the winning side, that's just good business."

"The loosin' side, you say? Barbossa asked, intrigued, and pleased with where this was going.

"They have the Dutchman. Now the Pearl!" Sao shouted in anger. "And what do the brethren have?"

"We have…" Barbossa started, looking into Sao Feng's eyes to judge his response. "Calypso."

Aragorn's head shot up at the word. He did not like where this was going at all.

Feng stopped, thinking. How could they ever have such a power? He looked to the others Barbossa was with, his eyes drawn to Elizabeth. Perhaps Barbossa truly did know more then he was sharing. The captian did not reveal his thoughts.

"Calypso?" He laughed, watching as Barbossa turned around to look at those with him, certain the man was looking to Elizabeth. He confirmed it, but it was information best kept secret. For both sides. "An old legend?" He asked.

"No!" Barbossa's tone was totally serious. "The goddesss herself, bound in human form," he assured.

Aragorn's brow wrinkled. What blasphemy was this?

"Imagine," Barbossa continued "All the power of the seas brought to bear against our enemies." He said, as Feng's eyes went once more to Elizabeth. "I intend to release her. But for that I need the Brethren Court."

Aragorn elbowed Legolas, frowning as he watched Tia Dalma's smile grow at the words.

"All the court." Barbossa finished, smiling, and holding with his bound hands a small necklace that hung about Sao Feng's neck. The two smiled.

"What are you proposing, Captian?" Sao Feng turned straight to the bargaining table, turning around to look at those with Barbossa, and not at the soldiers that swarmed the ship.

"What be accepted, Cap'n?" Barbossa did not know what he had that Feng wanted, but he was sure there was something by the way Feng's eyes lit up.

"The girl," Feng said, his smile growing as he looked to Elizabeth.

"What?" she said, surprised and disgusted. Will's face turned to offended anger as he prepared to fight once more for the woman he loved, bound and hated though he was.

"Elizabeth is not part of any bargain." He said.

Barbossa shook his head. "Out of the question."

"It was not a question…" Feng's smile grew. He liked Elizabeth and he liked the power it gave him over Turner.

"Done." Elizbeth said. All eyes turned to her in surprise.

"What?" Will's brow knotted "Not done." He said quickly.

"You got us into this mess, if this is what frees us, then done!" Elizabeth told him angrily.

"Elizabeth," Will turned to her, getting between her and Feng "They are pirates." He said, his defence poor, but desperate, and sounding good enough to his own ears for the slim moment it lasted.

"I have had more than enough experience dealing with pirates!" She said, slamming her bound hands on his chest and shoving him away.

"Elizabeth, I…" Will tried to hide his weakness from the others. The fact was he could not loose her again. Not when he could stop it.

"I'll go." Legolas spoke up. He turned to Feng. "Only if I come." He said. He could protect Elizabeth, and his eyes told this to Will.

"Me too." Aragorn spoke up, not wanting to be separated from his friend.

"No…" Feng thought over the situation. He had seen these two fight, he did not want them on his ship. They were dangerous. Together. A smile slipped over his face. "One of you only." He said.

Legolas looked to his friend, the ranger frowned, frustrated, but his eyes urged the elf to continue his plan without him. Legolas turned back to Feng and nodded, conveying the message that Aragorn was to stay behind.

"Then we.. have an accord?" Barbossa asked. He and Feng smiled at one another one last time.

With a simple nod from Feng all hell broke loose aboard the Pearl. The chains were loosened and their deal was put into motion, with Feng and his men, along with Elizabeth and Legolas crossing to the Chinese junk, and Barbossa and Aragorn leading the attack against the East India Trading company soldiers that occupied the Pearl.

Mercer threw himself overboard as the rest of his men were quickly slaughtered, and the gun docks swiftly put to use against the Endeavor, as the Pearl made good her escape. Aragorn watched the ship that his friend was on sail off in the other direction, as a crazy shout was heard above his head.

Aragorn looked up to see Captain Jack flying above him. His brow knotted quickly as he watched the man be flung from the Endeavor by some mad trick he had made, straight onto the Pearl.

The ranger ran to the port rail, where the others watched the Captain coming towards them. At once they all rushed to where he had certainly overshot the ship and fallen into the sea past her.

As the rope Jack had been holding slipped over the edge, their last hope of an easy rescue was lost. And no sign of the captain lay in the water below. Aragorn turned quickly to find Jack, instead, leaning against one of the high lanterns on the top of the deck.

"And that was without a single drop of rum." He told them proudly. Barbossa muttered something under his breath as he resheathed his sword. Aragorn could not help but laugh at the captain as he jumped down from his perch, but his laughter stopped as Jack approached Will. In the chaos, Aragorn had failed to realize that his friend had not been unbound. If he could still call the man a friend.

"Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow-hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig." Jack instructed his crew.

Aragorn caught one last eye contact with the man as he was, for the second time, punched in the stomach and escorted to his imprisonment. His eyes were remorseful. At least that was good.

Aragorn followed Pintel to the brig, and watched as he shoved Will in. The man let himself fall to the floor, placing his head in his still chained hands, he sighed heavily.

"I guess I get first guard duty." Aragorn broke the silence that followed as Pintel left the hold. Will looked up, not realizing who it was that was there.

"Strider…" He started. Aragorn looked to his eyes, searching them, and keeping his own emotionless. Will could still tell that the man was hurt by his recent actions. "Aragorn, I'm sorry." He said.

The ranger said nothing, but raised his eyebrow.

"I… I should have told you and…" he sighed "And Elizabeth." He let his head fall back into his hands. "I truly am loosing her, and now it's my fault."

Aragorn pushed himself up from where he had been leaning against the wall and came to sit down next to the bars that separated him and Will, plopping himself down on the ground so he could be at the other man's level.

"Will…" Aragorn did not know how to proceed. "What do you plan to do?" He asked. If anything, he needed to know.

"I… I don't know anymore. I had the Pearl, and Elizabeth… I… That's all gone now. I made a promise to my father, but… I made a promise to Elizabeth." He rubbed his face in his hands, concealing the tears that threatened to fall.

"Well.." Aragorn spoke up "We're headed to Shipwreck Cove now… After that, I guess all that's left is… To fight Jones." Aragorn said, making things seem much too simple.

"And what then?" Will looked up. He didn't care if Aragorn saw his tears anymore. His tone grew agitated as his heart breaking decision was brought back up. "If I kill Jones and free my father, can I ever be with Elizabeth again?" He said, looking to Aragorn for answers for lack of place to turn. "And if I don't…" his voice softened. He shook his head for lack of words, resting it once more in his hands. "I need to make a deal with him, that's the only way around this." He told Aragorn. "No one has to die that way… Or… At least…" he lifted his head, thinking over all that he had learned. "Oh, who am I kidding? To make a deal with Jones means selling the souls of the world." He slammed his hands on the bars to his cell.

"Does it?" Aragorn asked. "If we can talk to him and Beckett at least we have a chance to find what they would take…" Aragorn said, inserting himself in the situation to stay with Will, no matter what the other man would say.

Will nodded. It was a good idea. And he was not doing any good here, nor would he at Shipwreck Cove. There was nothing against it. "I have a plan…" he said, looking up to Aragorn with trusting eyes. "We can get Beckett to follow us, and then board his ship. Make a deal with him when he catches the Pearl. He may take it, but… We'll have to risk it, I think. Beckett is a man of business. A smart one. We'll just have to come up with a better offer."

"Get Beckett to follow us?" Aragorn asked. "How?"

Will thought for a moment, half-smiling when an idea came to him. "Think like Jack…"


	5. Chapter 5

As Sao Feng's ship pulled away from the Pearl and the Endeavor, and the last of the East India Trading Company soldiers were dealt with, Feng stopped to address the new additions to his crew.

"Take... Elizabeth… To my quarters. And minister to her needs." He instructed his two female attendants before turning to his men. "Take him to the brig for now; I shall have questions for him later," he said flippantly.

Legolas pulled against his guards. He had promised to take care of Elizabeth, but now that it came down to it, he did not know how he could help.

"Elizabeth..." he said. The woman turned to him suddenly. She would never get used to the face and voice that was so similar to Will's. Legolas caught her eye for a moment before the guards began to drag him way again. He did not know what to tell her. 'Be careful' did not cover it, but there was nothing else to be said.

After he was shoved into a cell, Legolas paced back in forth in the small cage, his eyes closed; he tried to think of what to do. Slowly, a Chinese voice began to dig into his mind. He stopped in his tracks, silent, as he realized that the words were switching to English.

"By this time tomorrow we will arrive at Shipwreck Cove and you will be free." He heard the voice of Sao Feng.

Legolas looked around to find his guard, a small man that seemed not to pay much attention to him. The elf climbed on top of the shelf that they dared to call a bed, and cupped his ear, pressing it as close to the floor above him as possible.

"Calypso." He heard Sao say.

"Excuse me?" The muted voices continued to be picked up by his keen Elven ears; he recognized Elizabeth to be the second voice. What confused him, though, was what Feng was talking about. Did he really think Elizabeth was this 'Calypso'?

"Not a name you fancy, I'd imagine, out of the many that you have. But it is what we call you." Feng told her.

"We being who?"

Legolas longed to know what was going on up there, to make sure that Elizabeth was alright. But her voice was calm and it seemed to be peaceful on the deck above him.

"You confirm it." Sao told her.

Legolas' brow knotted. What had she done to confirm such a false accusation?

"Confirm what?" Elizabeth's tone grew slightly irritated as she grew defensive. "You've told me nothing."

"The Brethren Court, not I…" Feng told her. "The first Brethren Court, whose decision," -Feng's tone grew angry, and Legolas tensed as he head a loud slam of something above him- "I would have opposed." Feng continued, still sounding very angry, "they bound you in human form, so that the rule of the seas would be long to men, and not-"

"To me." Elizabeth's soft voice only barely carried to Legolas' ears. It was half a statement, half a question, as if she found it humorous that he imagined her as a goddess.

Feng's voice lowered significantly, as he continued, "But one such as you should never be anything less than what you are," he said.

Legolas clenched his jaw. He was not sure he liked the way this was going.

"Pretty speech from a captor." Elizabeth was annoyed to anger now, and her tone grew dark. "But words whispered through prison bars loose their charm." She was still not happy about being part of a bargain.

"Can I be blamed for my efforts?" Feng defended calmly. "All men are drawn to the sea, perilous though it may be," he said.

Legolas' thoughts wandered to all the stories of the sea in Middle-Earth. He had never felt a longing for it, but he feared that one day it would come.

"And some men offer desire as justification for their crimes." Legolas' thoughts snapped back to the moment as he heard Elizabeth's voice, on edge and unhappy.

"I offer simply my desire." He heard Feng say. That was no way to talk to a woman. Legolas' worry rose higher in him. He had to do something. He was here to protect Elizabeth.

In one swift motion, he jumped down from the shelf he was on, grabbed hold of a plank of wood from the old shelf, he used his momentum and strength to rip it off the wall, before shoving it into his prison door and pushing down, just as Will had shown him before. As the door fell down with a clang, the guards all sprang to attention, and Legolas ran as fast as his legs would carry him up the steps.

As he mounted the top deck and ran to the door of Feng's cabin, he ducked the blade of one of the door guards, jumping back up to punch the man in the face; he knocked the second guard to the side and started through the door and down the steps.

_*BANG*_

The whole ship was jerked, thrown sideways by a blast.

Immediately the whole ship went to shouting, as cannon fire rained around them. Legolas picked himself up off the ground and ran down into Feng's cabin at last.

"Sao Feng?" Elizabeth looked in fright to the corner, paying Legolas no heed.

"Here… Please," A feeble voice called. Legolas gasped as he saw the man in the corner, a bloodied, splintered plank driven through his chest.

More cannon fire rocked the ship as Elizabeth made her way over, dropping to her knees before the downed captain, as Legolas was knocked against the wall by the blast.

With a last effort, Feng yanked from his neck the necklace Legolas had seen Barbossa fingering before.

"With all nine pieces of eight… you will be free." Feng forced the words out of his dying lips, still believing the woman above him to be a goddess. "Take it!" he offered the necklace. "You are captain now," he said as she took hold of the jade and leather knot.

"Me?" Elizabeth said quietly, in disbelief.

Legolas tensed, almost jumping to stop him, as Sao caught Elizabeth's hand and pulled her close to him. The elf stopped as he listened to Sao Feng's whisper to her.

"Go my place to Shipwreck Cove," he said with his dying breath

"Captain!" Ti Huang came down the steps, regarding Legolas in surprise, he did not realize the situation. "The ship is taken, we cannot-" He stopped, seeing his captain for the first time.

Feng pulled Elizabeth even closer as he whispered to her, "Forgive me… Calypso," he said, before releasing her as he himself was released into oblivion.

Tai removed his hat slowly, realizing that his captain was dead. "What did he tell you?" his angry voice questioned Elizabeth. Legolas only stood and watched, in a bit of disbelief at the recent events. Elizabeth stood to her feet, also in disbelief, staring at the necklace in her hand.

"He made me captain," she said quietly, turning to Tai, and seeing Legolas there for the first time.

Tai's face turned to rage and he ran up the steps to the main deck. Legolas and Elizabeth followed him quickly, and the elf barely contained a groan as he saw the all too familiar faces of Davy Jones' men among their captors, accompanied by the East India Trading Company soldiers.

As the three ran out of the door to the main deck, they were immediately captured, the blue-coated soldiers holding them still. They made no move to fight, as there was nowhere else for them to go.

"You are not my captain," Tai told Elizabeth angrily, as both Elizabeth and Legolas rolled their eyes.

"Elizabeth?" A familiar voice came to their ears. Legolas looked down to see a man he had never expected to see again: James Norrington. The elf thought back to the day they had left him on the Isle de Cruses, after he had run off alone with the chest.

"James," Elizabeth whispered in disbelief. "James!" she called; escaping her captor quickly, she ran to him, slowing herself as she remembered that they were on different sides of this war.

"Thank God you're alive," Norrington said, pulling her quickly into a tight hug. Elizabeth stiffened under his touch, making no move to hug him back, still in disbelief that the man was alive as much as he was that she was alive. "Your father will be overjoyed to know to you're safe," he said with a smile.

Elizabeth was not smiling. She looked in confusion to him. "My father's dead," she said, not wishing to linger on the memory.

James' brow knotted. "N-no, that can't be true, h-he returned to England!" He protested. If the governor was dead, he would know it, and he would not be happy.

Elizabeth looked to him, judging his words with an accusing glance. "Did Lord Beckett tell you that?" she asked. Norrington could only look on in disbelief. In reality, she was right. Lord Beckett had been the one to tell him.

"Who among you do ya name as Captain?" Davy Jones' booming voice interrupted them.

"Captain. Her." Tai Huang turned to desperation in the face of such evil, pointing to Elizabeth as his captain after all. The rest of the crew was quick to follow his lead, condemning Elizabeth to Davy's wrath. Legolas stood still in the midst of them, starring at the tentacled-man and praying that he would not pay heed to his presence.

Norrington looked to 'Captain' Elizabeth in disbelief, as Elizabeth found herself still uncomfortable with the name.

"Captain?" Davy asked, surprised by the female captain.

"Tow the ship." Norrington interrupted quickly and bluntly. "Put the prisoners in the brig," he said. "The captain can have my quarters," he finished, looking to Elizabeth.

Jones rolled his eyes at the two as he looked the rest of the crew over. His brow wrinkled and the tell tale signs of his rage began to show as his eyes lighted on Legolas. The elf looked to him with a taunting smile.

"Thank you, sir," Elizabeth looked to Norrington. "But I prefer to remain with my crew," she told him, backing up to stand with them.

Beside her, Jones came to the edge of the group where Legolas was standing. The elf's face grew stern and emotionless as Jones' angry face came closer to his.

"Elizabeth…" James caught the woman's arm. "I swear, I did not know," he said, his eyes longing for forgiveness.

Legolas' jaw tightened in pain as Jones' claw closed tightly on his right arm in anger as the captain continued to glare daggers at his prisoner.

"Know what?" Elizabeth turned to Norrington. "Which side you chose?" she said accusingly, as she ripped her arm from his hand. "Well now you do."

James stared at her. What had he done?

Legolas gritted his teeth as the sharp edges of Jones' claw dug into his arm, barely containing a sharp moan at the pain, as Jones' smile grew.

Norrington's head snapped up at the pained sounds of the elf.

"I _said_… Take them to the brig." He repeated, at first hard then his tone softened as he realized that his words now included Elizabeth.

"No," Davy said quickly. "This one's due for a whipping." He dragged Legolas forward by his arm, finally releasing his painful grip as he shoved Legolas towards Norrington.

The elf stumbled slightly, his left hand gripping the bleeding cut now formed on his right arm. Norrington looked him up and down.

"What has he done?" he asked. He remembered Legolas from the fight on Isle de Cruses, and when they first met, he remembered the elf had been marooned with Jack, Elizabeth, and another man. He was a friend of Will Turner, it seemed, but he did not know whether that gained him any respect. But what was important was that he was a fellow man. A unique creation of God. Respect for others was something that James found more and more important recently. As his commanding officers instructed him to carry out worse and worse orders, his conscience screamed at him. Now that Elizabeth was here, he felt as if his final test was soon to come.

"He stole from me," Davy said, smiling. He had no doubt that this one had helped steal his key.

James stuttered slightly as he was forced to pronounce what would be called justice. If he said no, Jones would hate him even more and might attempt a mutiny. But if he said yes, this one would have to suffer what he knew would be a brutal lashing.

Legolas' calm, unpleading eyes met his for a moment, confident and fearless.

"I…" James stuttered, he looked to Davy, whose face was hard and demanding. James would never grow used to that face. Fear coursed through his body at every glance from the evil creature of a man. He looked to the floor. "My hands are clean in this matter," he said, walking away swiftly as more and more of the Dutchman's cursed-crew gathered around. He could not believe what he had just done, but was unsure he could have done otherwise.

Davy's smile grew as Legolas tightened his jaw. This would not be fun.

~*~

"We've run out of bottles…" Will mumbled, as he pulled tight the strong rope that now held the body of a dead East India Trading Company guard to a barrel. The man had died in the fight breaking away from the Endeavor. Now at least if he was found he would have a _chance_ of a good burial. Or at least that was the argument Will had for the plan, which Aragorn had called disrespectful.

"I'll go get more, Gibbs has plenty…" Aragon said as he made his way from the bowhead to the forecastle.

The dark night had given them cover enough to spring Will from the brig and put their plan in motion. Beckett would see the bodies and follow them, and if all went well, he would be the only one to see them.

Will sawed at the rope in his hands quickly with his knife. As it finally snapped, he looked down at the blade. The blade his father had given him. His promise. He was doing this for his father. But what about Elizabeth? He sighed. When the time came, then he would know what to do. That was what Aragorn had told him.

"You escaped the brig even quicker than I expected." Jack Sparrow's voice broke the silence. Will started at the new voice, immediately raising his small weapon on its source.

Jack sat, watching, from the beam that held the foremost sail. He leaned casually on the rigging, smiling at the man below him. "William?" he asked, standing to his feet and making his way down towards the man. "Do you notice anything?" he questioned. Will looked around nervously. "Rather… do you notice something that is not there to be noticed?" Jack continued with a smile.

Aragorn walked slowly back, his arms full of empty bottles, as he arrived at the end of the forecastle.

"You haven't raised an alarm." He heard Will say. The ranger's brow creased as he slowly leaned over the edge of the railing, to see Jack and Will standing below. What was Jack doing here? Slowly, he placed the bottles down on the deck and sat on his hands and knees, leaning over and watching silently.

"Odd, isn't it?" Jack said, slowly coming down from his perch on the foremost mast. "Not as odd as this." He pointed to the dead man strapped to the barrel. "Come up with this all by your lonesome, did you?"

Will adjusted his footing nervously, not wanting to get Aragorn involved in what might go badly. He looked up at the captain, his tone growing confident and the least bit mocking. "I said to myself: 'Think like Jack.'" He smiled.

"And this is what you've arrived at?" Jack asked, surprised, and a bit disgusted. "Lead Beckett to Shipwreck Cove as to gain his trust, accomplish your own ends?" Jack smiled, hiding the fact that he actually planned the same thing but had not found a way to signal Beckett as well. "It's like you don't know me at all, mate," he said.

Will looked down in shame. When put like that what he was doing did sound bad. He lowered his knife, re-sheathing it.

"And how does your dearly beloved feel about this plan?" Jack continued to make the man feel bad. He sighed, without an answer, "Ah, you've not seen fit to trust her with it..." Jack worked skillfully with Turner's emotions as he finally jumped off the mast and came to Will's side.

"I'm loosing her, Jack… Every step I make for my father is a step away from Elizabeth," Will said.

"Mate, if you choose to lock your heart away, you'll loose her for certain," Jack said with a bit of a taunting smile.

Aragorn frowned. He did not like where this was going and he felt that Will needed him. Jumping down quickly from where he sat, he startled both men, as both pulled swords on him. Putting his hands up quickly in surrender, he smiled as Will put his sword away, quickly followed by Jack.

"Ah! I knew it!" Jack smiled. "I knew he didn't do this alone…" He defended his own lack of such a good plan before himself, before continuing talking to Will. "If I may lend a machete to your intellectual thicket…" Jack smiled as he walked over to lean against the forecastle wall. "Avoid the decision entirely."

Both Will and Aragon's attention was captured by the man. How?

"Change the facts," Jack continued. "Let someone else dispatch Jones," he said, elusively.

"Who?" Will questioned. It was a good idea, but who else on the earth would have reason to give up their life for that? As Elizabeth's father had said, it was a silly thing to die for, and if Will's own father were not a part of the deal, Will would never dream of doing it.

Jack smiled, looking at Will from the corner of his eye expectantly. An awkward silence took over them for half a moment.

"You?" Will questioned at last. Aragorn's brow knotted as he came up to hear the new plan.

"Death has a way of reshuffling one's priorities," Jack said offhandedly as he skipped to the plan, "I slip aboard the Dutchman, find the heart, stab the beating thing, your father goes free from his debt, and you're free to be with your charming murderess." He summed it up all too simply.

"And you're willing to cut out your heart and bind yourself to the Dutchman?" Will asked. "Forever."

"No mate," Jack answered with a smile. "I'm free forever. Free to sail the seas beyond the edges of the map, free from death itself," he said.

"You have to do the job, though, Jack. You have to ferry souls to the next world," Aragorn spoke up from behind the captain. "Or end up just like Jones," the ranger said; motioning to his chin, he reminded Jack of the tentacles that Davy sported as a beard.

A look of disgust crossing the captain's face, Jack shivered involuntarily, placing a hand to his own small beard. "I... I don't have the face for tentacles," he replied. "But immortal's got to count for something. Eh?" He cheered up immediately. "Oh!" He said, remembering the last part of the plan, he reached down to his belt and removed one of his most precious items.

"What's this for?" Will asked as Jack presented him with his compass.

"Think like me, it'll come to you," Jack answered.

Lifting his eyebrow, Will looked up to Jack, but not soon enough. Without another word, the captain shoved him backwards into the dark water below them.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: ALRIGHT. There are several things you need to know if you are - for some reason - reading this. First is that this story is EXTREMELY old, and I pretty much hate it. I never quite finished it, although I got pretty darn close. I may write one final chapter one day, but it is unlikely. By request and simply to finish old business, I've decided to post all that I wrote so long ago and forgot to publish at the time. As such, several of the latter chapters of DMW are UNBETAED. So don't say I didn't want you. I haven't even bothered to re-read this whole thing yet, and once again I must repeat, this story is OLD, terribly written, and just... you get the idea. I'll be putting this message on chapter 1 of both stories, and chapter 6 of the latter, as that was where I originally stopped posting. If you want any further information, see my profile page.

* * *

With a cry, Will stumbled back, tripping on the edge of the bowhead, he fell into the water blow, as Jack next shoved off the man he tad tied to the barrel.

"Will!" Aragorn cried, jumping up to the forecastle quickly, he caught a spare line in his hand and promptly dove off the side of the ship after his friend.

"No!" Jack called after the man. No. Will had to leave. He stood for a moment looking down at the two as Aragorn swam up to Will and prepared to pull him back to the ship. A look of displeasure crossing his face for an instant, Jack quickly pulled his blade and cut the rope that anchored the ranger, sending both of them adrift at sea.

"I hate him…" Will muttered, clinging to the barrel that the dead man was tied too. Aragorn grabbed hold quickly, as Will drew his knife to cut the dead man off.

All night the two floated with their barrel, into the early morn, they talked.

"I am sorry…" Will said. He thought back over everything they had gone threw. About how every night on the way to Singapore they held a bible study in their cabin, with Aragorn, Legolas, Will, and sometimes even Regetti. And then he had betrayed them all.

Aragorn simply smiled and nodded. He knew.

"I… You don't know how many nights of sleep I've lost over this…" Will said. "Even now I wonder about it. What if… What if I wasn't meant to be happy?" He asked, not expecting the ranger to have any real answers. "What if I really must chose one side of my heart?" he asked.

Both of them now lay floating on their backs, having tied themselves to two ropes that were still tied to the barrel. Aragorn turned himself over, swimming over the barrel and propping himself out of the water with it; he looked over it to Will.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but I know that nothing happens that isn't the will of God. He'll take care of you. Watch and see." The ranger told him. "Look," He continued. "The stars." He said, smiling. "I wonder if Legolas is looking at them. They are beautiful tonight." He sighed contently, letting himself go once again to floating on his back; he wiped the water from his eyes. Will smiled, not bothering to look at the ranger from his awkward position. He truly did love the stars.

"Tell me about them…" He asked. "Tell me about… Middle Earth."

Aragorn smiled widely. This would be a tale that really could last them all night.

Legolas, however, was not watching the stars that night.

"Time to kiss the gunner's daughter!" the Bosun laughed, as several of the crew gathered around and cheered. Legolas felt his heart fall into his stomach, but made no outward expression of fear. He had heard Davy's crew use the strange slang before, but did not know exactly what it meant. It looked like he was about to find out.

Quickly, the crew grabbed both of his arms, forcing him to walk towards the stairs to the gun deck, the pushed him roughly down the stairs.

Legolas stumbled down the stairs, and was quickly pulled back to his feet as the rest of the mob that followed him came down behind them.

"Ohf!" The air was forced from his lungs as he was shoved forward, his stomach making sharp contact with one of the large, barnacle covered cannons. Quickly, they pulled him back and removed his shirt, tying his hands in front of him.

Legolas closed his eyes. He knew where this was going. And he could take it.

The Bosun drew from his belt a cruel looking cat-o-nine, complete with all the sharp implements that could be attached to it. Before he knew what hit him, Legolas was once again forced to lean over the large gun, as the sharp prongs of a lash threw themselves at his back.

He struggled not to cry out as his well-adapted cycle of breathing was interrupted, the cold metal of the cannon forcing all air from his lungs again.

Again, the lash fell, and Legolas tried to fall back into the familiar rhythm as his back and stomach were ripped at the same time by the lash and the sharp barnacles that coved the gun he leaned on.

The hits grew faster, harder, and more unbearable as time went slowly on. So fast Legolas' already impeded rhythmic breathing became altogether impossible as the crew extracted their rage upon his flesh.

The elf grimaced and moaned as the whip bit him over and over, taking no break, as Davy picked up the lash when the Bosun grew tired, the whip's speed grew only faster instead of weakening.

At last Legolas cried out, as his back and chest were torn by the hard strikes from Davy's hand. The cruel captain laughed victoriously as the miserable sound of agony was ripped from his captive's lips; it was about time. Red blood flowed freely from Legolas' tattered back, pooling under his miserable form, and splattered now on the walls. From off in the corner, James Norrington grimaced with every fall of the lash. Legolas' scream pierced him like a blade.

Closing his eyes, Legolas silently cursed his body, wanting to make sure that what had just happened would not happen again. Again the sharp prongs racked mercilessly across his shoulders, stripping flesh and raining blood. The elf's head spun in pain as one more the strokes became fast and faster. Jerking his broken body against the rough cannon below him, he slumped against the gun, trying to stay as calm and loose as possible; he still flinched at every agonizing stroke.

"That's enough." He heard the quiet voice of James Norrington say. Again the lash fell. "That's enough!" James raised his voice. He could take this no longer. Once more Davy raised his arm high above his head, as for the last time he brought the whip down with all the force he could muster.

Legolas cried out at the blow, feeling altogether like a whipped pup, as Norrington flinched with the hit.

"I said that's enough!" He said, catching the lash on his arm as Davy tried to bring it down again. He let it wrap around his thick sleeve, Legolas' blood staining the fabric, some of it splattered onto his face. The warm touch was enough to make Norrington sick. Blood in battle was one thing, but the torture of an innocent being was another matter entirely. Grabbing the handle, he threw the cruel weapon to the ground.

"Humpht." Davy narrowed his eyes at the man, as Legolas slumped miserably the ground. The elf lay still on the deck, painting quietly. The tentacled captain turned to leave the elf to James to lock up.

"Wait." James instructed. "If those wounds aren't cleaned he'll get infected." James continued to follow Royal Naval procedure of caring even for the prisoners.

Davy stopped, turning around slowly; a smile crept onto his lips as he looked to the bleeding elf on the floor. "Come on, boys." He said, as he returned to lift the tired elf off the floor, his men grabbed their prisoner's arms, dragging him backwards. Legolas let his feet drag, being supported by the men, he did not want to go with them.

"Throw him overboard. That'll clean him up." Davy smiled. Legolas eyes went wide.

"No!" James called after them. He ran up, grabbing one of the mutant arms that held Legolas. "I'll do it." He said, prying the arm away from Legolas. Davy let go with another 'humpht', and Legolas' weight was suddenly transferred back to his feet and onto Norrington.

James gently lowered the elf to the ground, as Legolas' brow knotted at his recent behavior.

"Here," Norrington said "Those really do need to be cleaned… Soldier!" he called to an East India Trading Company soldier that was passing by. "Fetch me the solution for injury cleaning." He instructed "Bring it to my cabin." He then turned back to Legolas "Can you walk?" The elf nodded and soon, with a little help, he was standing weakly on his feet, being helped to the admiral's cabin. He struggled to hide the pain the lashing had caused, but did a good job of it. Still, he was in no shape to deny the Admiral's help, and he knew it. Had he had even an ounce more of strength, he would have denied the man's assistance- and probably died for his strong will, that night. But as it was, something made him trust Norrington, even with his elven pride. It was odd. He did not trust people like this easily. Perhaps after the cruelty he suffered he just needed someone to show him kindness once more.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked weakly as Norrington laid him on a small table-bed near the door, trying to contain a sharp hiss of pain that still escaped his lips as his wounded chest made contact with the wood.

"It's naval procedure, and I know that it would not be followed if I did not do it." James said, not looking the hurting man in the eye. "Not everyone on this ship is as cruel or heartless as Jones. I hope you know that. And…" he finally looked up to meet Legolas' pained but thankful gaze "Because you're a fellow human being. No one deserves such treatment untended." He said. He did not like to see any man treated badly like that. "No one deserves such treatment at all…" He added, muttering under his breath.

Legolas smiled broadly and almost laughed, even through his pain, as he thought over James' words. The man's brow wrinkled. What had he said?

"What?" Norrington asked, as a knock at the door announced that what he had requested of the soldier had arrived. He quickly thanked the man and took the bucket and rag he offered before turning back to the still smiling elf. "Are you not, or something?" he asked sarcastically. He had felt awkward about helping the poor man before, but now that he was laughing, it was even stranger.

Legolas smiled at him wryly. He could not be closer to the truth. The elf pushed his long blond hair behind his ear, revealing points to defined to be human. "No…" he said, as Norrington grew more and more confused. "I'm an elf." He said with a smile.

"An… Elf?" James asked skeptically.

Legolas nodded, "I know you'll never believe me, and it's a long tale, in short… I'm... From a different world, and I'm an elf. Don't know how I got here, and Strider is from where I'm from." He said with a sigh "And I want to get back…"

Norrington starred in slight awe at the elf, not sure if the being was insane or really telling the truth. A year ago he would never had believed him, but a year ago he didn't believe in Davy Jones or the Flying Dutchman either, a ship on which he now stood and the man that had laid the welts he was preparing to clean.

"Uh…" He stuttered, not sure of what to say, he snapped back to the situation at hand. "This... This may sting a bit." He said. In truth, it would sting a lot. The mixture was great for preventing infection and disease, but it hurt like nothing else. A mixture of vinegar, salt, and water, he wet and then rang out the rag in his hands and went to start cleaning Legolas' fresh and swollen welts.

As the wet cloth made contact with his back, Legolas sucked his breath in sharply, his body reeling, he tensed up immediately and tried to control his body's struggle to get away form the pain. He was stronger then this. He tried to keep his pride before Norrington- a man he was still hesitant to call friend.

"I'm sorry, I…" James started, but Legolas interrupted him.

"No, no... Go on, I'm sorry…" The elf said through gritted teeth, lying back down, he closed his eyes and tried to relax.

An awkward silence hung over the two, neither of them totally sure if the other was friend of foe, James tried to tell himself that this was simply naval procedure, and that he couldn't have the elf dieing. If elves died. He had not considered that. But in any case, he did not want disease on his ship. If it was rightly called 'his'.

Legolas took deep breaths as James continued his work, finding himself in a very familiar position with a very unfamiliar friend. Could he trust this man? He did not know. It was extremely odd having any man other than Aragorn tend him. He half wondered why he was letting James do this. He thought back to a time when his own body's reactions would have prevented James from coming close to him, much less to touch his bared and hurting back. Back then it would have been unimaginable that he would ever let such a man tend him, and even now the elf still felt extremely uncomfortable in the situation, but he was in no place to argue.

"So…" James tried to break the silence as he began to bandage the elf's torn back. "You're an... elf... From a different world." He tried to tie down the facts to his confused brain.

"Yes." Legolas replied. "I live in a forest, and don't normally go to sea." He said, the simple words making him long for Mirkwood's beautiful trees once more. "Back home I am a prince." He said with a laugh. "Strider and I always seem to find ourselves in these types of situations, though." He said. James stopped. A prince? This could not get any stranger.

Slowly, Legolas smiled as Norrington motioned for him to turn over. The elf grimaced as his now bandaged but still pained back held his weight on the table. He now helped to treat his broken chest and stomach, doing most of the work himself as Norrington continued to question him. He was not fully comfortable with James, nor James with him, and it was better for both of them if Legolas did the mending work.

"How does a prince get involved with the likes of these Pirates?" Norrington asked with distain for men such as Jack Sparrow, who he had originally found Legolas marooned with, along with Strider and Elizabeth.

Legolas laughed softly "I don't know." He said "How does a man like yourself get involved with the likes of these tyrants?" He asked in return.

James could not laugh. His eyes down cast as they finished treating Legolas' wounds, as naval procedure required, he handed Legolas his shirt and helped the elf up and then escorted him down to the lowest deck, the brig. His eyes showed shame and begged forgiveness as he unlocked the doors and let Legolas in. The elf walked promptly in of his own accord, joining the rest of those captured from Sao Feng's ship. James could not look at Elizabeth nor meet her eyes.

"James?" Elizabeth called him. James quickly looked to the floor and ran up the stairs to the main deck. "Legolas what happened?" She turned to the elf for a partial account of the man she used to call friend's actions.

"Nothing. " Legolas sighed, but he could not hide the deep crimson stains that began to seep through his clothes. "Davy had his way, and James helped me out of it." He said in short. Elizabeth's brow creased. James had helped him? It was not a totally unexpected turn of events, but it did please her.

"I need to find Bootstrap." She told him shortly, leaving him no time to ponder the words before running to the bars of the bridge and turning to one of the guards. "Bootstrap?" she asked, rewarded with a loud laugh.

"Elizabeth…" Legolas tried to stop her, he did not see Bootstrap anywhere among them.

"Bootstrap? Bill Turner?" Elizabeth turned to the second mutant guard.

"Bootstrap…" Legolas turned in surprise to the dark, raspy, tired voice that came from behind him. Elizabeth looked past the elf to see who it was.

"You know my name." the voice said. Legolas narrowed his eyes at the form in the wall. His mouth dropped slightly open. Bootstrap. He lay imbedded into the wall, as if he had been sitting there for eternity. The barnacle and sea life that Legolas had seen on and in him before had grown tenfold. He and Elizabeth starred for a moment as the man raised his tired eyes. "You know my name." He repeated.

"Yes…" Elizabeth stammered "Yes, I know your son." She said. She had never really understood Will's extreme need to get his father off the Dutchman. Now she did.

Bootstrap looked confused at the words. His son? He had a son?

"Will Turner." She said.

"William!" Memory dawned on the old man. "Hah!" Elizabeth shrank back a bit as Bootstrap pried himself off of- or out of- the wall with a laugh, forming again into a man, he stood up for the first time in what seemed like years. "He made it!" He said excitedly "He's alive!" The first smile in months crossed his face, holding there broadly.

"Bootstrap…" Legolas tried to interrupt the man, to tell him the truth.

"William!" Bootstrap called, ignoring the differences in Legolas and his son. "Will! It's you!" He cried, running up and pulling Legolas into a rough, wet embrace without further warning. Legolas gasped as he realized the mistake he had made, and Bootstraps rough arms pulled his injured body into a tight hug.

"N-no…" He said. "I'm not Will…" He pushed away and stammered back from the old barnacled man. "I…" He did not know what to say.

Bootstrap's brow wrinkled. Why was Will drawing back? Did he not welcome his father? And what was this about not being Will?

"I'm Legolas…" The elf offered. "Remember?"

Bootstrap's mouth fell open in disbelief. Not Will? His face displayed shock and sadness. "Will?" he asked, still not sure that this man was not his son. The red blood that came through the elf's tunic could only serve as a reminder of the stripes that Bootstrap had laid on his own son.

"No." Legolas said, more sternly this time. "No… " He took Bootstrap's hand and placed the wet fingers on his pointed ears. "No, I'm Legolas." He said. Bootstrap frowned, feeling the tips of his ears, he idly traced where would be his son's beard, but he found only smooth elven skin. Finally, Realization truly dawned.

Legolas fought to keep the tears at bay as despair set in on the man before him.

"But…" He stammered. "Now…" He tired to look on the light side of the situation. "Now he sends you, to tell me he's coming to get me!" He said, sure that his second theory had to be the correct one. He smiled hopefully up at Legolas, his eyes like a child waiting for a parent's approval.

Legolas could only stare, mouth open, unsure of what to do. Could he deny? But he could not lie.

"Godswounds, he's on his way!" Bootstrap cheered happily. Legolas could not move. Frozen by pity and sorrow for the man for the news that he must hear.

"Yes…" Elizabeth started. "Yes, Will is alive." She said as Bootstrap turned his expectant eyes to her with a smile. "And he wants to help you."

Bootstrap's smile faded.

"He can't help me… He won't come." He said sadly, looking to the floor, his tone sad and tired once more.

"But you're his father!" Elizabeth offered a defense, trying to explain how much Will wanted to help.

"I know you." Bootstrap raised a finger to Elizabeth and she backed up slightly. "He spoke of you. He can't save me. He can't come because of you!" He said, his voice growing louder.

"Me?" Elizabeth asked softly.

Bootstrap leaned forward and lowered his voice, as if sharing some great secret. "You're Elizabeth." He said softly.

"Y-yes, I'm Elizabeth." Elizabeth nodded slowly.

Bootstrap looked to the floor, nodding as his information was confirmed. "If Jones be slain, he who slays him must take his place." He straightened up to his full height above Elizabeth. "Captain… Forever." He said. "The Dutchman must always have a captain. And if he saves me… he looses you." Bootstrap told her sadly.

Elizabeth nodded slowly, taking in the information. How could one man make such a choice? "I see…" She said quietly. Beside her, Legolas tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He had seen the connection between Will and his father, and Will and Elizabeth. How he was to choose between the two would be a heartbreaking test of character.

"He won't pick me." Bootstrap continued, looking the beautiful woman before him up and down. "I wouldn't pick me." He said, sadly, with a humorless laugh, as he shook his head. Sitting down in his place again, his voice slowed, growing more tired and sad. "Tell him not to come. Tell him to stay away. Tell him it's too late... I'm already a part of the ship…part of the crew…" He muttered, as the life that made the walls slowly closed on him, settling him back into the wall, so that no one could see where wall stopped and man began.

Elizabeth slowly moved forward, touching his knee. "Bootstrap?" She questioned.

The man's eyes opened again with a start, and Elizabeth was taken back a step. At once Legolas turned away, hiding his face from the man; he did not want to repeat what had already happened.

"You know my name!" Bootstrap said happily. "You know my name!"

"Yes… Yes, I know your son…" Elizabeth nodded, her voice thick with emotion and her face wet with tears.

"William!" Bootstrap said. "He's coming for me! Wait and see! You'll see… He promised…" Bootstrap's tone was the most hopeful Legolas had ever heard, and it broke his heart to know the truth of the situation. Tears streamed down his face as the man settled once more into the wall.


	7. Chapter 7

Legolas blinked out of his elven sleeping as he heard metal grinding against rusty old metal. The door to the cell they were held in swung quickly open. James Norrington stood on the other side. "Come with me." He said, holding the door, he motioned everyone in the cell. "Quickly!" He added as they simply stared at him.

Legolas was the first to follow orders, gaining his feet quickly, he passed by Elizabeth and all of her newly acquired crew to stand by the man he hoped to count as a friend.

Looking for a long moment more, Elizabeth nodded to Tai Huang next to her, and the man began to lead his men silently out of the cell. Slowly, Elizabeth walked to the door.

"What are you doing?" She asked James.

"Choosing a side." He said, looking to her with sad eyes. Beside Him Legolas smiled.

Elizabeth nodded, without smiling and consented herself to follow him, as the Admiral lead them quietly up the deck, avoiding the eyes of the crewmen that were still awake. He led them all to the stern, through a door to the back balcony that was never used. From here, they had access to the ropes that towed the Chinese ship behind them.

"Go." Norrington motioned to the first of the oriental sailors, and the man hoisted himself quickly onto the rope and began to scoot slowly over to the other vessel.

Slowly, all the men made their way over until Legolas and Elizabeth arrived last to where Norrington stood, nervously watching over the procedure.

"Do not go to Shipwreck Cove." He told them, as the last of the men jumped onto the ropes. "Beckett knows of the meeting of the brethren. I fear there may be a traitor amung them." He said quickly.

"It's too late to earn my forgivness." Elizabeth said, her voice hard, as she let him know that, as he had said so long ago, one good deed was not enough to redeem a man from a lifetime of wickedness.

James looked to her in slight surprise and frustration. "I had nothing to do with your father's death." He assured. "But... that does not absolve me of my other sins." He said. "Now go…" He motioned to Legolas, but the elf would not go until Elizabeth did.

The admarel's words were enough to change Elizabeth's heart. "Come with us." She said. "James. Come with me." Know that the man had chosen a side she wished he would serve it true. He looked to her in shock. How could he?

"Who goes there?" A voice called from above. Jame's heart raced as his fears came to reality. They had been found.

He instictivly drew his sword and placed himself between Elizabeth and the intruder.

"Go…" He said "I will follow."

Legolas quickly followed a nod from Elizabeth at the man's words and lifted himself onto the rope, but he did not start his way over right then.

"You're lying!" Elizabeth protested, seeing it in his eyes.

"our destinies have been entwined, Elizabeth." James turned to her, looking into her eyes. "Hut never joined." He said, slowly, he leaned forward and kissed her.

Legolas stopped, with any other man he would have wanted to stop them, but somehow this felt right.

"Go now!" James pulled away after only a briefe moment, looking backl to the new threat as Elizabeth at last hoiseted herself up to the rope.

"back to your station, sailor." Norrigton said firmly. Legolas looked back to see what was going on. Beside James, Bootstrap Bill Turner stood with a sword.

"No one leave the ship…" the man muttered.

"Stand down!" Norrington yelled, his heart racing. "That's an order!" he tried his best to remain calm.

"'That's an order'…" Bootstrap laughed, sounding strangly deranged. "Part of the crew, part of the ship…"

"Bootstrap!" Leoglas called the man. The elf quickly hoisted himself with balance only an elf could have, to walk the rope that shook under him for a moment, before gabbing a hold of one of the other ropes that towed the ship.

"Part of the ship, part of the crew!" Bootstrap grew louder, faster, his tone that of a mad man.

"Steady, man!" James yelled at him.

"Bootstrap!" Legolas called again, now begging his likeness of Will to take the man' attention.

"Part of the crew part of the ship! Part of the crew part of the ship!" Bootstrap chanted quickly "All hands, prisoner escape!" He yelled.

"Belay that!" Norrington shouted over him, drawing his pistol, he leveled it with the man's chest.

"James!" Elizabeth called, she started to pull herself back to the Dutchman to help Norrington.

"Bill Turner!" Legolas called at the top of his lungs, also walking slowly back to the Dutchman.

Norrington looked back. He could not have them die here. With one last look, he raised his pistol and shot the main line. In the next moment the whole set of ropes collapsed, sending Elizabeth and Legolas into the cold water below.

"No!" Legolas called as he fell forward, his head above the water long enough to glimpse a sight that twisted his stomach into a knott.

As James Norrington turned back to face Bootstrap Bill, the later man shoved his blade forward, squering the man Legolas had just come to call a friend. James fell to the deck with a guttural moan.

"JAMES! NO!" Elizabeth called coming up from the water to see the man lay dieing, her voice frantic and scared. Legolas grabbed her arm and pulled her back as she beagn to swim back for Norrington, it not yet yetting in that he was infact dead.

The salt water stung the elf's welted back, but the pain barely registerd with the shock of what he had seen. The elf looked back to see the majority of the crew come to see the scene before them.

"To the captian's cabin!" he heard them call. As he made sure Elizabeth got up onto the ship before him. His head turned back as he heard the all too firmiliar sound of Davy Jones' walking, and saw hiw approach the man on the floor.

"james Norrington." It strained even his elven hearing to hear. "Do you fear death?" The monsterous man asked. James made no response but to shove his sword up , piercing davy in the chest.

"I take that as a no." Davy smiled. Legolas could watch no more. He climbed up ont ot eh deck of the chineese ship, tear filling his eyes for a second time that night.

"Man overboard!" the luetinet called, as the crew threw ropes down for the twomen in the water off the starboard rail. Will quickly severed the lines that held he and Aragorn to the barrel as they approached the ship. They had spent all night and a good part of the day in the water, having not drifted as quickly as the other barrels sent out, and obviously the Endeavor had gotten a tad off corse, because it had taken much longer than expected for them to find and pick up the two.

Aragorn grabbed the first line, and was quickly hoisted on board the vessel, where he immeadiatly found himself surrounded by gaurds. Will came up only moments after him, and he copied the rangers move in putting his hands up in peace.

"Ahh…" the voice of Lord Cutler Beckett came from their left "William Turner. Not who I expected. And who is this with you? It matters not. Men, take these two to my cabin, I want them dried off, but keep a weather eye." He said quickly, going back to his work as if nothing had happened. The two were quickly whisked off as the soldiers did as they were told and in no time found themselves in Beckett's large private quarters, sitting at his table.

"Sugar?" Beckett asked, as they sat casually at the table, talking idly over a cup of tea as if the war surrounding them was not but imaginary. Aragorn nodded and raised his cup to receive the small white lump before standing to his feeet with his little cup of tea and walking over to a large globe beside the table.

The huge ball was covered with a painting that represented the world. Aragorn had seen the map many times before, but never on a globe like this, and certaintly never with this many strange measuring instruments surrounding it.

Beckett raised his eyebrow to Will and the man also raised his cutp to receive the lump of sugar. It was strangly un-awkward to be here, although if he thought about it things could hardly get stranger. A silence fell about the room as they awaited the final member of the meeting to be held.

_*boom*_

_*boom*_

The all too firmilliar footsteps announced his presence in the halls.

"I canont be summoned like some mongrel pup!" the voice of Davy Jones came from behind them. Niether Aragorn nor William turned to face him, but left the talking to Beckett for now.

"Apparently you can." He said emotionlessly. "I believe you know each other." He said, motioning to the man that sat at the table across from him.

Will turned around slowly, tapping his spoon lightly on the edge of his glass, he smiled at the surprised man behind him.

"Ah-hah-hah!" Davy's surprised turned quickly into a laugh. "Come to you me crew again, Master Turner?" he asked, smiling.

"Not yours. His." Will motioned to Beckett.

_*twang*_

Aragorn released on of the strange implaments that was attached to the globe, and it quickly sprung towards him to his original position.

"Ohf." The ranger started at the motion a bit, being hit in the nose after not pulling his face away quick enough. Davy's smile faded as he looked to the ranger while the man turned to him with a smile.

"You!" Davy shouted angerly. In unexpected rage, he stalked quickly towards the ranger.

Will stood to his feet quickly, as Davy shoved his friend roughly into the doorjam with his claw. Aragorn's eyes went wide as he found himself locked in an all too firmilliar position. His small cup crashed into tiny pieces on the floor, and the tea spilled on the hard wood, as his hands went immeadiatly to Davy's stuggling to pry him off once more.

"Let him go!" Will shouted, drawing his sword but Davy payed no heed. Cutler Beckett simply sat and watched.

Davy laughed at the startled and scared look that crossed the ranger's face, as he pressured the man's throat, and Aragorn's breath caught.

"Your friend sends his regards." Davy said with a smile, pulling something from his belt, he pressed it roughly against the ranger's cheek. Aragorn closed his eyes as Davy leaned closer. He could feel something strangly wet against his cheek, and sharp, but he did not know what it was that Davy held there.

"_Jack Sparrow_ sends his regards." Will said loudly from behind them. Davy stopped, pulling away quickly, he released the ranger to look at Will.

"Sparrow?" Davy all but forgot Aragorn as Will put up his sword and sat casually back into his chair.

Aragorn slumped to the floor, holding in his hands whatever it was Jones had given him. He looked down. It was a lash, coated in elven blood.

"You didn't tell him?" Will turned completely casual again, sipping his tea, he looked to Beckett for a moment before continuing. "We rescued Jack from the locker along with the Black Pearl." He said, catching a glimce of Aragorn through the corner of his eye as he looked up to Jones. The ranger stared in horror at what was in his hands. Will looked away quickly, trying to stay casual as he sipped his tea.

"What else have you _not_ told me?"Davy asked Beckett accusingly, his tone sounding even a little bit hurt.

Beckett chose to ignore the question, calmly switching the subject. "There is an issue farmore troublesome." He said, standing with his cup of tea. "I believe you're firmilliar with a person called 'Calypso'."

Jones' head snapped up at the name. he stammered for a minute. "…Not a person.. A heathen god. One who delights in curseing men with their wildest dreams and then releaving them to be hollow and naught but ash. The world is well rid of her." He said at last. Behind him Aragorn barely contained a mocking laugh, prompting the captain to turn, glaring at him once more.

"Not quite so well, actually." Will successfully tried to draw attention from the ranger once more as he sipped his tea calmly. "The Brethren Court intends to release her." He said. He was not himself sure he liked the idea, recalling that there was no such thing as any lesser gods, and remembering the strict warnings against such spirits and witchcraft in the Bible, but he wanted to know what effect the words would have on Davy Jones.

"No! They cannot!" Davy yelled angerly, his tentacles betraying his anger even further as they squirmed quickly. "the first court promised to imprison her forever!" he turned to Beckett "That was our agreement!"

"_Your_ agreement?" Beckett asked calmly, sipping his tea.

Jones stopped. "I… Showed them how to… bind her…" He stammered. "She could not be trusted, I… she gave me no choice…" He looked around, his back to the others in the room. "We must act before they release her.." he said angerly.

Behind him, Realization dawned on Will. "You loved her." he said. It was a statement, not a question. Aragorn's brow knotted, but then he nodded slowly. This all made sense now. Davy's head snapped angerly to Will. "She's the one. And then you betrayed her." Will accused.

"She _pretended _ to love me! _She_ betrayed _me_!" Davy yelled, stalking closer to Will until he was looking straight down on him.

Will stood to his feet, his face inches from Davy's, he showed no fear. "And after wich betrayal did you cut out your heart, I wonder." He said taugntigly. Davy lashed out, tossing the cup of tea from Will's hand, in landed in a broken wrek on the floor.

"Do not test me." The squid faced captain ground out.

"I hadn't finished that." Will said calmly, inferring the cup of tes jones now owed him. "You will free my father." He said strictly to Jones, before walking away and turning to Becket "And you will secure Elizabeth's freedom. Along with my own, and Strider's." Aragorn smiled as Will found the bargaining chip they had been looking for.

"And Legolas." Aragorn spoke up from behind Davy, his hands shaking as he looked down to the bloody lash once more.

Davy laughed softly, looking down at the pitiful man that slumped against the wall. He turned back to Will "Wherever this deal goes, the ranger is mine. We have a score to settle." He smiled. Will clenched his jaw and looked to Aragorn. The man closed his eyes and breathed in deeply before nodding slowly. He would make it. He opened his eyes once more and made contact with Will, conveying that he was alright with the deal if it was what was needed. Will swallowed, with a pang of guilt, but honored the ranger's offer. He nodded to Davy slowly, as the smile on the tenticled captain grew when Will had only only request. "But he must live." He said, ensuring the man's life if not sfety. The look in Davy's eyes scared him. It was not defiant, but joyfully wicked all the same.

"Your terms are steep as they are, master Turner." Backett said. "We will expect fair value in return." He insterted his and Davy's needs into the situation.

"There is only one price I would exept." Davy said, taking that Aragorn was already part of the deal no matter what. "Calypso. Murdered." He said darkly.

Will thought for a minute "Calypso's aboard the Black Pearl." He said calmly. Davy's head snapped to him in attention "Jack has sail the black pearl to shipwreck cove." He offered something he knew would interest both Davy and Beckett.

"And with you no loger aboard her, how do you plan to lead us there?" Beckett asked as Will played idly with the same instruments Aragorn had been toying with earlier, himself almost getting hit in the face. He looked up to see both Davy and Beckett starring at him.

An awkward silence grew as Will took his time, before the man smiled, untieing something from his belt.

"What is it you want most?" He asked, holding out the compass Jack had given him.

Beckett smiled. and nodded, comeing forward to finish the deal, he shook Will's hand in promise. "Soliers!" he called ot the men that stood outside his door. the two reported quickly and stood at attention "Take Master Turner to the helm." Beckett told them with a smile. The two nodded quickly, and soon Will was being whisked away by the guards.

"Strider!" Will called as the yanked him down the hall. Aragorn watched, with a slight smile on his face. he would be alright, he hoped the man knew that.

"Hah." Davy's laugh broke into the ranger's thoughts "Strider." He sapt the name out. "You have upset me one to many times." He said, grabbing the ranger's arm with his claw and yanking the man to his feet.

Aragorn dropped the bloody lash in his hands as he was pulled up, looking down to see what it was he dropped to the floor, he looked up with a sudden fear and anger. "What have you done to Legolas?" He asked quickly.

Davy smiled "Nothing..." He said "naught more than I shall to you." He finished with a dark glare, before dragging the man roughly out of the room by his arm the same way he had dragged Legolas.


	8. Chapter 8

"As he who issued summons, I convene this, the fourth Brethren Court." Legolas heard Barossa's voice, as he came off the ship that now belonged to Elizabeth. Offering a chivalrous hand back up for her, his elven ears barely picked up the goings on inside the council room behind them.

"To confirm your lordship and right to be heard, present now yer pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns." Barbossa addressed them again.

"Should we go ahead and go in? Would we be interrupting?" Legolas turned to the captain as the rest of the crew got off the ship.

"We're one ninth of the meeting, we can't be interrupting." She told him. "But all the same… wait till the opportune moment." She finished with a smile. Legolas rolled his eyes.

"You're right, if they want the nine piece, they'll have to miss us eventually…" Legolas answered, finding them, for some unknown reason, whispering. The elf did not have to wait long to be proven correct.

"Sparrow!" They heard voices raised in the room as they waited outside.

"Might I point out that we are still short on e pirate lord, and I'm as content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us." Jack said with a smile.

Elizabeth nodded to Legolas. This was their chance.

"Sao Feng is dead!" Elizabeth announced loudly as she and her crew walked in. "He fell to the Flying Dutchman."

Immediately, everyone in the room seemed to want to shout at once, all in different opinions, most in different languages. Elizabeth walked up to the Brethren's globe, thrusting her sword into it's proper place where Sao Feng's would have been.

"He made you captain?" Jack interpreted the action "They're just giving the bloody title away now!" He said in surprise.

As most everyone in the room yelled at Elizabeth and at each other, the new captain tried her hardest to be heard. "Listen! Listen to me!" She cried.

"Aragorn?" Legolas looked for his friend in the crowd. Knowing the ranger he'd be somewhere secluded and out of the way.

"Our location has been betrayed." He heard Elizabeth continue, as the crowd settled. "Jones in under the command of Lord Beckett, they're on their way here." She told them quickly.

"Who is this betrayer?" A large, dark skinned man stood up and asked loudly.

"Not likely anyone among us!" Barbossa assured, as Legolas came back to the front of the room, having not found his friend.

"Where's Strider?" Legolas asked Jack.

"And Will!" Elizabeth added.

"_Not_ among us." Jack answered.

"And in matters not how the found us," Barbossa continued over the others' talk "The question is what will we do now that they have?"

"We fight!" Elizabeth was the first to answer the question. She spoke firmly, but in moments the entire room was laughing. Legolas' brow knotted: It had sounded like a good plan to him.

"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress!" An older Chinese woman stood and explained their laughter. "A well supplied fortress! There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us!" All around, the pirates nodded.

"There be a third course." Barbossa said.

Legolas sighed, sitting back in a chair by the wall. He was not happy. Aragorn and Will were both missing, but he could not ask Jack where they were until perhaps even after the meeting was over. His mind raced with disturbing thoughts of where the two could be. With Cutler Beckett and Davy Jones patrolling the waters, he was afraid to think to much on the subject. He listened to Barbossa, only half interested in what he was saying, as even if his opinion differed he knew it did not matter.

"In another age, at this very spot, the first Brethren Court captured the sea goddess, and bound her in her bones." He nodded at his own words. Behind him, Legolas rolled his eyes. He could not believe these people actually believed such things. "That was a mistake." Barbossa went on to say. All the room went silent at the man's words.

"Oh, we tamed the seas for ourselves, aye. But opened the door to Becket, and his ilk! Better were the days when mastery of seas came not from bargains struck with eldritch creatures, but the sweat of a man's brow, and the strength of his back alone, ye all know this to be true!" Legolas leaned forwards, watching all those in the room. Inspiration was the only thing he could call what was written on their faces. "Gentlemen!" Barbossa called, walking past Elizabeth to the very front of the room "Ladies." He said "We must free Calypso."

With those words, all hell broke loose.

"Shoot him!" A man yelled, as every pirate in the room began to argue at once.

"Cut out his tongue!" Another one said

"Shoot him AND cut out his tongue then shoot his tongue!" Jack called "trim that scraggily beard…"

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa." Tai Huang spoke up, having known the man for so long, he spoke for him now, even though Elizabeth stood there.

"Calypso was our enemy then, she will be out enemy now!" Another man called

"And it's unlikely her mood's improved." Another man added. Legolas struggled to understand all the heavy accents.

"I would still agree with Sao Feng, we release Calypso!" One of the men yelled, laying his pistol on the table.

"You threaten me?"

"I silence you!"

Legolas barely knew who was talking, all he knew was that within moments, the whole room was once again up in arms against each other. Weapons, food, glass, and who knows what else, flew through the air. Men were on the table, on the floor, and Legolas was surprised not to see anyone in the air.

"This is madness!" Elizabeth said, her eyes wide.

"This is politics." Jack answered casually.

"Meanwhile our enemies are bearing down upon us." Elizabeth muttered.

"If they not be here already." Barbossa answered dryly.

"Lookie here, boys!" Davy called to his men as he tossed Aragorn to the ground before them. The crew gathered around to see the familiar form slumped on the hard deck. Cruel smiles and laughter rose in the dark night. "You won't have your admiral friend to save you this time." Davy turned to the ranger.

Admiral friend? Aragorn's brow wrinkled. He had no knowledge of any admiral that was his friend, and he was certain Davy could not mean Legolas. The ranger flinched and sucked in his breath invonentarily as Davy cut through the ties of his tunic with one quick swipe of a knife. The men around him quickly striped him of his vest and shirt, tossing them aside. Aragorn stood tall and brave in their midst, facing Davy with a hard stare, as the men looked and laughed at the now old scars that still crossed the man's back from his last trip on the Fling Dutchman.

Davy leaned forward, inspecting the new, precisely drawn scar on the man's chest, the one that had gotten them in to Sao Feng's bathhouse as he posed as Jin Long. The ranger thought back to how he had received the scar.

"Just do it!" Aragorn said loudly. This was taking much longer than it should. One of them had to get scarred for this, and since elven skin did not scar and everyone else had a job, Aragorn had been chosen for the task. "Legolas, Will can do this if you wish." The ranger turned to pity, but he still wanted this over as soon as possible.

"I'm sorry, I just... Your father is going to kill me..." The elf said.

Aragorn could not help but laugh. "Yes, well... I'll be your defender… beside, what's the worst that can happen?" He said with a smile.

Legolas looked up, raising his eyebrow. He did not want to answer, even though he knew that nothing bad would really come of this. He took a deep breath as he prepared for what he had to do.

"Come on." Aragorn prompted softly. Legolas nodded. Slowly, gracefully, purposefully, the elf drove the tip of his long knife into his friend's chest. Aragorn clenched his teeth at the pain, but tried his best not to show it, for Legolas' sake.

Making sure the wound was deep enough to scar, the elf proceeded in drawing the Chineese symbol as Barbossa had instructed, a small cross with a small squiggle over it. He did not know how it could ever relate to the word "horse" or why any man scarred in Singapore would have to do with horses, but he did as Barbossa had asked.

The elf bit his lip until it almost bled at the pain he knew he was causing. He could feel the ranger's body stiffen in pain at his touch, and the ranger closed his eyes tightly as Legolas drew the symbol, wetting his blade with the bright red blood of the man he called a brother.

As he pulled the blade out and pressed it back in to make the last line, a knot caught in the elf's throat. He could not believe he was doing this. Aragorn held his breath at the pain, but Legolas' breath came in short gasps as he struggled not to let tears fall for his actions.

At last, it was done. Aragorn opened his eyes and breathed in deeply as the elf removed his blade, quickly turning to unroll the bandages and wrap his friend's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry..." the elf said quietly, not meeting Aragorn's gaze. He knew the ranger did not blame him, but that did not mean he did not blame himself.

"Legolas..." Aragorn called, his tone asking for eye contact, he finally received it. "It's alright. i'm fine." He said with a smile "It's just a scratch." He added. Legolas rolled his eyes as he finished bandaging the area. Of course it was.

Aragorn's thoughts were quickly jerked back to the present with a rude interruptions of his thoughts as Davy's clawed hand pocked him in the shoulder, the man laughing in humored disgust. A cross on his chest, how quaint.

"We'll see if your faith saves you from _me_." He said, pridefully defying Aragorn's God. The squid faced man knew the symbol well enough, but the squiggle that made it the Chinese letter it was meant to be was lost on him, all he saw was the cross. And it disgusted him.

Aragorn looked down to the scar, and then back up at Jones, his gaze hard as he quoted what he knew would have him punished. "_'The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?_'" Davy's eyes flared with fiery rage as the man continued. "_'Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior_.'"

Davy yelled in hot rage as he grabbed Aragorn, pressing the man roughly against the main mast yet again, he held the man's face inches from his own as he yelled "Your 'Savior'" he spat "Is _dead_!"

Aragorn barely moved his head until he was looking straight at Davy's angry face. He starred hard at the black depths of his hollow eyes as he answered slowly and deliberately.

"_No_."

Davy's tentacles squirmed faster than Aragorn had ever seen them as he yelled in a fit of rage, grabbing his prisoner and tossing him to the ground.

"ENOUGH!" He yelled. "I can show you just how dead your faith is." He said before turning to is men. "Stand that whelp up. Bosun! Bring me the lash!" He ordered quickly.

Aragorn was quickly pulled to his feet and shoved roughly into the main mast. His arms were then tied around the giant pole, and the thick twine hooked onto a protruding nail on the other side, holding them far above his head, he was powerless to move in his bonds at all, half leaning, half hanging against the mast.

Within mere moments, he felt the sharp sting of a brutal lash making fierce contact with his back. The man sucked in his breath sharply, at least this time he knew how long the beating should last; What they called 'Moses' Law' consisted of thirty-nine brutal lashes, and if the ranger was right that was just what he was in for. He feared what might come after that. The lash fell again, tearing deeply into his tender, scarred flesh and ripping it to ribbons.

Three.

Every ounce of Davy's rage was delivered in each painful stroke, and it was not long before the main deck ran red with blood.

Aragorn bit his lip to keep from crying out as the strokes became more unbearable with every second. And he was only on number eleven. His heart screamed to God for help, as he told himself that he could deal with a simple lashing. No matter how impossible it sounded, Aragorn always seemed to forget how much this hurt. His body reeled miserably against the large wooden pillar he was tied to as Davy continued to deliver his fury in agonizing stripes all up and down the ranger's back, wrapping painfully around his ribs, and stripping him of all skin on his bare, shaking shoulders. Blood ran freely now, and Aragorn's head spun.

Twenty nine.

It seemed like an eternity had passed. And he was still in this hellish tunnel of blinding agony. Pain wracked his body with every stroke in what felt like slow motion. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he would not let them fall, nor would he cry out.

Davy's arm grew tired, but he did not relent, intent on making the ranger scream before he was through.

Thirty six.

Almost there. Aragorn opened his eyes and looked up to heaven. The stars were out. He realized how long it had actually been on Beckett's ship and now Davy's as the sky was slowly surrendering to the light tinge of morn. The sun had not raised her brilliant head yet, but her rays shone through the dark night.

Thirty seven.

Their beauty was lost on Aragorn as his world dove deeper into the realm ruled only by searing pain.

Thirty eight.

One more. Just one more. Aragorn slumped miserably against the mast, letting his wrists, rubbed raw, support his weight as he prepared for the last blow.

Thirty nine.

Davy put all the force he could into the last stroke, the force of the blow racking Aragorn's body, it slammed him into the mast and removed even more flesh from his already lacerated back.

Aragorn smiled slowly, his breath coming in short, shaky gasps. He had done it. He sighed as his bonds were quickly and painfully cut, blood rushing back into his numb fingers. At once, the man was grabbed by his arms and flipped around. Davy pressed his freshly wounded back brutally against the rough wood of the mast. He was not happy with the result of the flogging, but he was by no means done with this man.

With a disgusted grunt, Davy grabbed Aragorn by the shoulders, roughly tossing him to the ground. "Get that builder up here!" He called, turning back to Aragorn, he landed a solid kick the man's midsection.

Davy nodded to the eager faces of his crew around him, as another one of them came up quickly with the supplies of a carpenter, and several old but sturdy planks; the only kind to be found on the Dutchman. The man went directly to the mast Aragorn had just been released from and attached one of his boards to the tall pillar with four large, sturdy, but rusty nails, as the rest of the crew joined Davy's game in the mean time.

A booted foot found cruel contact with Aragorn's heavily wounded back and the ranger cried out in surprise as a wave of pain washed over him. The men around him laughed and soon the small wave was turned into a flood, and Aragorn found himself in a swirling sea of pain destined to drown him.

By the time the carpenter was done, Aragorn's head was spinning, and spots flashed before his eyes. The men all grabbed him, none to gently lifting him to his feet, they threw him once more against the mast.

As Aragorn's tormented back made harsh contact with the hard wood, the back of his head slammed into the mast as well, adding to the nauseating way the world spun around him. Fear gripped him as the men grabbed his arms, raising them out to his sides, he looked over to watch them tie him to the long board that had been placed on the mast.

The board was high, and Aragorn had to strain on the tips of his toes to touch the ground, as the men held him up with cruel pressure between his back and the mast. They released him, and he sagged limply in his bonds, but his feet could better touch the floor. Davy grunted in slight disgust that the board was not high enough, but he fixed the situation quickly.

Kicking Aragorn's feet out from under him, he tied them behind the mast, removing all hope of leverage the man ever had, his legs were useless in supporting his weight now, and the man hung miserably from his bound wrists, his hands already going numb.

"We'll see how you do…" Davy said happily as the sun began to show herself on the horizon. Today would be a hot, humid day aboard the Flying Dutchman, and he did not intend to give this whelp any rest from it.

With that, the captain turned to get his ship on the move. Shipwreck cove, the pirates, and Calypso awaited them, and Beckett would not be pleased if he was late.

Aragorn painfully lifted himself up with his bound wrists and injured back to ease his breathing, but he found it almost not worth it. The odd pressure of hanging from his hands, when separated so, was enough to hinder his breathing, as even his bruised ribs seemed to heavy a burden. He pulled himself up once more. This would be a long day.

The sun rose higher in the sky and Aragorn's dry mouth begged for quenching, but he could not appease it. His back screamed at him in the heat and continual warring that prevented it from working at all to heal, but he could not pay it heed, as he lifted himself up to breath again, his arms threatening to give out from the continual strain.

As he slipped slowly into heat exhaustion, his body threatened to give up on him. He had to make it. Legolas was still waiting on him. All the speeches his father had ever given him about being mortal and having his whole life ahead of him played back in his head. He had to make it. For them. He looked up to heaven. The sun stood high above him, but its path was waning, and the ranger could only guess it to be in the early afternoon, but time seemed to move oddly now.

Slowly, softly, something found it way into his tired mind. It was soothing, strong, comforting, beautiful. A song. He tried to remember the words. The old, old song was one he had not heard in ages, but the minstrels in Rivendell had sung it before. In the tales of suffering, when Morgoth reined. It was the song of a hero. A stricken, but strong hero.

The ranger lifted his head again, his small, hoarse voice lifting a pitiful sound over the waves and wind that carried the ship quickly forward. "My Savior loves." He fought to force the words out. " My Savior lives… My Savior is… Always there for me…" He struggled to lift his voice in song. He had not sung in what seemed like ages, and his throat did not lend itself to the action now, but it gave him hope, strength, something to hold on to. "My God He was, my God He is, my God He's always gonna be." He finished the simple chorus, finding himself without the energy to repeat the entire song.

_My Savior loves._

_My Savior lives, _

_My Savior's always there for me._

_My God He was, _

_My God He is,_

_My God He's always gonna be!_

Aragorn's voice rang louder now, over the sounds of the sea, in the burning heat of the sun, He finally found a hold in the long dark pit he found himself falling into.

_My Savior loves._

_My Savior lives, _

_My Saviors always there for me._

_My God He was, _

_My God He is,_

_My God He's always gonna be!_

He smiled, looking to the sky, as he sang again. Some of the crew gathered around him now, simply watching, and the abused man took true joy in what they had scorned, even in the midst of pure torture.

_My Savior loves._

_My Savior lives, _

_My Saviors always there for me._

"_What_ is that _racket_?" Davy Jones' voice boomed over the deck, as he came quickly to the ranger's side.

_My God He was, _

_My God He is,_

_My God He's always gonna be!_

Aragorn found himself suddenly locked in an all too familiar chokehold, as Davy's crushing claw closed of his air once again.

"My Savior loves…" Aragorn choked out, using up his breath, he didn't care this time. "My Savior lives…" He spoke bravely, even as the words were choked off by his body's irresistible command to cough. "My Savior's always…there…for me…" He choked and coughed miserably against the painful hand that held him as he suffocated slowly.

Davy's face was furious as he glared daggers at the ranger. If there was one thing he could not stand, this was it. "If you truly wish to cleave to your 'Savior', then you shall share his pain! Once and for all!" Davy yelled in the man's face. He quickly turned to the carpenter behind him, grabbing his tools.

Icy fear gripped Aragorn's heart as he realized what Davy intended to do. His eyes went wide, but he did not protest, as Davy positioned a large, blunt, metal nail over his wrist. _God help me! _Aragorn's heart pleaded as he closed his eyes, preparing for the piercing blow.


	9. Chapter 9

_*Bang*_

The hammer fell.

Aragorn screamed, his hoarse throat letting up sound louder than he thought currently possible, as the cold metal bit into his sensitive flesh. Between the bones of his wrist, it cruelly pierced the pressure point found there, dangerously close to the tendons that controlled his hand, he was sure some of them were broken. With a second blow of the hammer, Davy drove the nail further in, eliciting another shout of agony from Aragorn's tortured throat.

Jones laughed cruelly as he cut the rope that bound Aragorn's now nailed right wrist, letting all the weight held there fall painfully onto the nail, and moved to the other arm.

Excruciating pain laced through Aragorn' body, gripping him, as the rough metal hit him like nothing he had ever felt before. Once more Aragorn screamed louder than he ever remembered or thought he could. Davy smiled at the agonized look on the ranger's face, as he drove the nail further in and severed the cords that held the ranger, leaving his whole weight to the two nails that held him painfully up. If the man's feet he been high enough he would have done the same to them, but as it was the cruel captain simply backed up and smiled, marveling at his own brilliant work.

Blood spilled out of the ranger's wrists, trailing down his arms. His back and sides bled also, wetting the mast and deck with dark red fluid. But his suffering was far from over.

Aragon's head lay against his chest for a long while. He could barely breath, shock slowly setting in. The pain was enough to make him feel ill, and he half wondered why we was not retching. He had never felt such excruciating pain before.

He panted weakly, his glazed eyes looking aimlessly to the floor. Aragorn had not realized how long he had spent singing earlier, or now frozen in place, but it was getting late now, and being at sea, he would not be surprised if the stars shone soon, as the sun hovered over the horizon, the east the sky already grew dark.

"You just be glad we don't have any thorns, boy." Davy laughed. An idea came to him. Taking the Bosun's whip from of his belt, he practiced his aim with a bullwhip, sending the cutting tip towards the ranger with deadly aim.

Aragorn cried out softly, his head was slapped roughly to the side, the lash's tip making cutting contact with his forehead, opening a large red cut on his face that curled around his left eye.

Davy laughed as the man looked up to the now starlight sky. Blood stung his eyes as it mixed with tears and ran down his bruised face. The man's breathing hitched, and his whole body shook. His eyes betrayed his weakness and pain fully, but they also held hope.

The squid-faced captain's laughter stopped as the ranger once more opened his mouth in song. The song of a stricken hero.

_Savior,_

_He can move the mountains,_

_My God is mighty to save,_

_He is mighty to save!_

Aragorn half sung half yelled through his dry and clammy throat. The pain brought tears to his eyes, but he kept the song strong, glorying not in his own strength, but in that of his God.

_Forever, _

_Author of salvation_

_He rose and conquered the grave,_

_Jesus conquered the grave!_

Davy stared in rage at the man as Aragorn sung his heart out, tears streaming just as freely as the blood that flowed from his many grievous wounds.

_Savior,_

_He can move the mountains-_

Davy's bullwhip made swift, piercing contact with Aragorn's stomach, dubling the man over in pain, harshly pulling against his agonizing metal bonds. His breath caught for a moment, mid word, as he tried to gather himself.

_My God is mighty to save,_

_He is mighty to save!_

The Captain's rage grew with every word.

_Shine your light and let the whole world see_

_We're singing for the glory of the Risen King!_

_Jesus._

Aragorn shouted through the pain, and the blood and the tears, looking up to heaven and forcing a smile.

_Shine your light and let the whole world see_

_We're singing for the glory of the Risen King!_

_Jesus._

The whip ripped cruelly into his chest and stomach once more, wracking the man's body with the impact, but he payed it no heed, keeping his head up and his words strong. The strength of his words and of his God alone was now supporting him.

_Shine your light and let the whole world see_

_We're singing for the glory of the Risen King!_

"Enough!" Davy cried, stepping forward He grabbed the hammer from the carpenter and quickly forced it's forked end into the head of one of the large, thick nails.

Aragorn cried out as Davy extracted the metal bar sharply, letting his captive's entire weight fall on one hand. Davy threw the hammer to the ground, leaving the ranger hanging pitifully and painfully from only one hand.

_For the glory of the Risen King!_

Aragorn forced the words out, as he struggled not to scream from the excruciating pain. He reached for the hammer Davy had left, straining to grab hold of it with his barely functioning fingers. His fingers barely tapped the edge of the handle, playing with his mind cruelly, it was barely out of reach.

Aragorn moaned sharply as he shifted his weight, finally being able to grab the item he hoped could spare him more pain. He struggled to close his limp fingers around the handle, biting his lip and mustering all the strength he had left, he painfully forced his fingers to close.

With a miserable shout of pain, Aragorn tried to lift it. As the first ounce of weight from the hammer was applied to his broken wrist, it slipped out of his hand.

Lowering his head in defeat, Aragorn closed his eyes to block out the pain. For a few long moments, he sat there, crying, and praying.

His eyes still closed, Aragorn could hear someone approach him. _No more…_ His mind begged. They could not be back for more.

Aragorn moaned, as he felt something touch his wrist, still pined to the mast above him, from which he hung in agonizing pain.

Opening his eyes at last, he looked up to what it was. The first thing he noticed was that the hammer was gone. The second, was its location. Beside him stood Bootstrap Bill Turner. In the man's hands was the hammer, poised to extract the nail and free Aragorn from his excruciating bonds. Tears filled his eyes. He said not a word. None of the crew stopped him. They all seemed in awe of whatever strength it was keeping Aragorn alive.

Aragorn screamed in pain as the nail was forced out of his hand, letting him drop limply to the floor, panting, and resting on the wet wood, stained with his own blood. He moaned as he felt the bonds about his ankles cut. The men picked him up by his arms, hooking their hands under his shoulders, and literally dragged him down the stairs, tossing him into the all too familiar shallow waters of the Dutchman's brig.

Aragorn groaned sharply as he landed, his fresh injuries making stinging impact, he dragged himself up onto the old seat he had found himself on so long ago. His shirt and vest were tossed in after him, landing beside him on the bench, he did not have the energy nor the will to put them on.

Closing his eyes, he leaned against the wall, the events taking a mighty toll on his weak body.

He did not know how long he sat there, or how long he half slept, but at last he forced himself off the wall. His wounds needed tending. But there was no one to help him this time. Fumbling miserably with his shirt, he tore a long piece off with his teeth, laying it over his left wrist. Slowly, painfully, he looped it around, holding it in his mouth, and struggled to tie it with the use of his mostly disabled right hand. He wished he could clean them, but had not the supplies, and now he could only trust in God that he would be alright. He did trust God, but he did not put full hope in the idea that he would live. It was well, if he died. He felt a pang of sorrow for all those he loved, but he did not begrudge God at all if he died here and now.

The painstaking process of binding the wounds on his wrists was repeated on his right hand, but Aragorn had no energy to continue dressing any of his many other wounds. He lay against the wall, finding no rest, all sides of his chest, back, and sides were torn. At last he lay on his stomach, even though it too had been ripped, and prayed that he could find sleep swiftly. Even if he never awoke, he needed to rest.

Slowly, darkness fell upon him. He smiled softly as he released himself to the dark oblivion.

_*BANG*_

Barbossa stood upon the table with his pistol pointed in the air. The sound bounced off the walls oddly, seeming to grow instead of die. At last the rabble below him was quieted. By this time Legolas himself had stood to protest against Barbossa, but he had lost his chance to talk to the man, who stood now on the table.

"It was the first Court what imprisoned Calypso. We shall be the ones to set her free. And in her gratitude she will see fit to grant us boons." Barbossa spoke his case fully.

"Who's boons? Your boons?" Jack said, almost laughing at his own joke as Barbossa stepped down, rolling his eyes. "Utterly deceptive twaddle-speak, says I!" Jack continued. Legolas smiled as he found his seat again. He could not help but find humor in Jack's language, and he was glad he was not alone of his friends on the side against Calypso.

"If you have a better alternative, please, share!" Barbossa said sarcastically.

Jack thought for a moment. "Cuttlefish." He smiled broadly at the look on everyone else's face, including Legolas'. "Aye?" He asked, pushing through the crow to his left. "Let us not, dear friends, for get our dear friends the cuttlefish! Flippin' glorious little sausages…Pen 'em up together and they will devour each other without a second thought. Human nature, isn't it?.. Or… Or fish nature… So yes," Jack pulled his speech to a point, as he came to the only other female pirate lord besides Elizabeth, putting his hand's on her shoulders as he continued "We could hole up here, well provisioned and well armed, and half of us would be dead within the month! Which seems grim to me any way you slice it." Jack said as he continued pushing through the room to the other side of the table. "Or… as my learned colleague so naively suggests…We can release Calypso. And we can pray she will be merciful." The captain stopped to look eye level with a short man that stood by the chair of the Spanish Pirate Lord. "I rather doubt it." He stood back up "Can we in fact pretend that she is a woman scored whose fury hell hath no? Yes? No? No. We cannot." He said as he arrived at the far end of the long table "_Res ipsa loquitur, tabula in naufragio"_ Jack said in a language Legolas did not understand "We are left with but one option. I agree with -and I cannot believe the words are coming out of me mouth- Captain... Swann. We must fight."

Elizabeth smiled smugly, but Barbossa was not smiling.

"You've always run away from a fight!"

"I have not!"

"Ya have so!"

"Have not!"

"Ya have so, and you know it!"

"Have not, slander and calumny." Jack said with a grin. "I have only ever embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here, now, that is what we all must do. We must fight… To run away."

"Aye!" Gibbs yelled, soon all the court was agreeing. "Aye!"

"As per the code…" Barbossa sat back smugly. "An act of war, and this be exactly that, may only be declared by the Pirate King!"

"You made that up!" Jack protested.

"Did I now? I call on Captain Teauge! Keeper of the Code!"

Legolas' brow knotted at the strange silence that filled the room. Jack's face looked half shocked, half terrified, half awed. The rest of the room was silent.

Legolas looked as one of the pirate lords elbowed the man that stood next to him.

"Sri Sumbhajee proclaims this all to be _folly_!" He said, slamming his hand on the table. "Eh? _Hang _ the code! Who cares about th-"

_*BANG*_

A shot rang through the air.

The man speaking fell back without another word, dead on the floor. From the corner of the room came a deep voice.

"The code is the law."

Legolas' brow knotted as he looked up to the newcomer in the corner. His tired, wrinkled face told the tale of more years then most mortals could count, his dark hair and beard blended together to frame his face against his old, sagging hat. He walked with slow, heavy steps down a small flight of stairs and towards the table they gathered around. "You're in my way, boy." He said to Jack. The captain stiffened and shuffled to the side. Legolas looked, amused, at the two. If he did not know better, he could cave claimed Teauge and Jack were related.

As The older man stepped up to the table, he turned to wave someone over. In a few seconds two elderly men came shuffling slowly in, carrying the biggest book Legolas had ever seen between them.

"The code…" The elf heard some pirates mutter "As set forth by Morgan and Bartholomew."

The men struggled to push the heavy book onto the table, spinning it so Teauge could read. '_Pirate Codex'_ the cover read. Teauge turned back to the door the old men came from, giving a short whistle, and a light, almost musical clanging came down the hall. In a moment, the familiar face of the little dog from the Port Royal prison came up, once again carrying a key, he handed it to Teauge.

Legolas laughed as Pintel and Regetti stuttered "That can't… How did…"

"Sea turtles, mate." Teague looked up with a smile. The dog barked and turned back down the hall, accompanying the two old men.

Teague undid the clanking, heavy lock, and opened the huge book, folding over a large section of the many pages. He muttered as he scrolled though the page he found, running his finger down the many lines. "Ah!" He said at last "Barbossa is right."

"Hang on a minute…" Jack gently pushed Teague away, reading for himself. "'It shall be the duty of the king to declare war…parley with shared adversaries'… fancy that." He said, surprised that Barbossa was, in fact, right.

"There has not been a king since the first court!" One of the lords protested. "And that's not likely to change."

"Not likely…" Teague muttered, walking to a large chair behind him, he picked up and old guitar and began slowly plucking out a tune.

"Why not?" Legolas stood by Gibbs now.

"See the pirate king is elected by popular vote." Gibbs began

"And each pirate only ever votes for hisself." Barbossa finished.

"I call for a vote!" Jack announced. The whole room seemed to sigh and roll its eyes.

"I vote for Ammand, the corsair!" One man stood up. Legolas tightened at the word. 'Corsair' only served to remind him of the cruel men of Umbar back in Middle Earth.

"Capitaine Chevalle, the Penniless Frenchman." Another stood.

"Sri Sumbhajee votes for Sri Sumbhajee."

"Mistress Ching!"

"Gentalman Jocard."

All of the pirates were obviously voting for themselves.

"…Elizabeth Swann." The woman seemed very put out with the matter, but found no other choice.

"Barbossa." Hector rolled his eyes.

"Vallenuava!" Another man stood up.

"_Elizabeth Swann_." Jack spoke up with a smile.

"What?" Elizabeth looked to him in shock.

"Curious, isn't it?"

Within moments the whole room was up and yelling again. Legolas could only sit back and laugh to himself. It was so like Jack to do this.

"Am I to understand that you lot will _not_ be keeping to the code then?"

Silence was acquired once more as behind them, Captain Teague loudly broke one of his guitar strings, the off tune sound filling the room. Slowly, they all took their seats.

"Very well." The lady Legolas now knew to be Mistress Ching said. "What say you, Captain Swann, King of the brethren court?"

"Prepare every vessel that floats. At dawn: We're at war."

"Jack!" Legolas pushed quickly through the massive crowed of men that stood aboard the Black Pearl.

The Pearl was part of a long line of ships, from every corned of the world, that now stood to face Beckett and his men. But Legolas was not happy.

"Jack, we cannot just start a battle, Aragorn and Will are-"

"Are on the Endeavor with Beckett, like I told ye, now-"

"The enemy is here!" Legolas heard little Marty cry from his perch in the rigging. The elf turned to see, out of the mist, a very large ship appear, coming towards them. "Let's take 'em!" Marty shouted.

"Yeah!" The shout went up from the whole ship. Legolas struggled to swallow the lump in his throat. His friends were on that ship. The elf leaned forward, straining his eyes as he thought he saw something else on the horizon. His mouth fell slightly open in shock as more ships came through the mist.

All around him, the shouts of war died. More and more ships came forward. They were outnumbered now. Outnumbered by far.

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!" Cotton's parrot squawked, flying off.

"Jack…?" Legolas turned, wondering if _now_ someone would listen to his asking for negotiation instead of battle.

"Parley?"


	10. Chapter 10

The sun shone bright and hot overhead, shining oddly on the white sands, and the crystal clear water all round them, a glistening turquoise sea. Together, the four of them walked up the long beech: Legolas, Jack, Elizabeth, and Barbossa. On a high sandbar island, they had declared a parley. Coming off the ship, Legolas had insisted to come with them, to see Aragorn and Will, who he was sure would come as well.

The elf was proven correct, as he looked down the beech. Side by side stood Will, Beckett, Davy, and Strider. The elf could not help finding humor in how Davy stood, both his feet in a bucket of seawater. It sounded like something Tia Dalma would come up with. Just like the jar of dirt.

The elf's brow knotted slightly as he looked next to Aragorn. The man's eyes were mostly closed, and even from the far distance they were apart, Legolas could tell the man was having trouble keeping his feet. Davy stood next to him, a firm hand grabbing his arm. Legolas' brow knotted in dismay, as he set his jaw. He did not know what had happened, but his anger against Davy was already rising.

Will looked over at the ranger, and then to the ground. He had never meant for this to happen, but it still seemed like it was his fault. He looked back up to see Legolas among those coming down the beech, and his guilt seemed to double.

As the others came closer, Aragorn struggled to lift his eyes up to see who all was there.

As they arrived, Davy smiled, tossing Aragorn to the ground at Legolas' feet.

Legolas' stomach tied itself in a knot as Aragorn cried out softly, crumpling down to the sand, showing the bright red blood stains that covered his back.

"Strider!" The elf dropped to his knees.

"L…Legolas?" Aragorn struggled to lift his head, revealing the red slash across his brow as Legolas placed a comforting hand on his cheek.

"You be the cur that led these wolves to our door?" Barbossa ignored the two on his right, turning to William in disgust. Inside Will felt his shame just keep piling up, but he showed no outward emotion.

"Don't blame Turner. He was merely the tool of your betrayal," Becket said, as Legolas slowly worked to pull his wounded friend into his lap. "If you wish to see its grand architect, look to your left."

Aragorn struggled to look up, as Legolas, Elizabeth, and Barbossa all looked left at Jack. Jack looked left to find on one there.

"My hands are clean in this!" He looked back to see Elizabeth's shocked face. "Figuratively…"

Aragorn leaned heavily against Legolas' shoulder as the two sat on the sand, watching the exchange. Legolas was trying to stay calm as he assessed his friend's state of being. It grieved his heart to see the man like this.

"My actions were my own, and to my own purpose." Will said, turning to Beckett "Jack had nothing to do with it." Legolas' brow knotted, wondering if everyone on the island had betrayed everyone else on the spit of land at one point or another, save for himself and Aragorn.

"Well spoke!" Jack said with a smile "Listen to the tool." He said to Elizabeth.

"Will, I've been aboard the Dutchman," Elizabeth said. Aragorn slowly inclined his head to look up to Legolas, his eyes questioning the elf. Had he been aboard too? The ranger prayed that the elf had not had as rough a time as he had. "I understand the burden you bear, but I believe that cause is lost." Legolas frowned, remembering Bootstrap.

"No cause is lost," Will spoke up. "If there is but one fool left to fight for it." He looked, almost verging on a smile, to Aragorn, Legolas, and then Jack. Those three had all taught him that over the course of the years. Jack grinned back. That was the way to think.

"If Turner was not acting on your behalf, how did he come to give me this?" Beckett asked, holding up Jack's old, broken compass. "You made a deal with me, Jack, to deliver the pirates. And here they are. Don't be bashful, step up and claim your reward!" He said with a smile. All eyes turned to Jack in surprise, as Beckett tossed the man back his compass.

"Yer debt to me is still to be satisfied!" Jones called. "One hundred years in servitude aboard the Dutchman. As a start!"

"That debt was paid, mate." Jack defended with a smile. "With some… Help." He motioned to Elizabeth, the woman that had killed him.

"You escaped!" Davy countered.

"Technically-"

"I propose an exchange." Elizabeth interrupted Jack. "Will leaves with us." She said, looking to the man. "And you can have Jack." She smiled at Davy.

"Done." Will said casually.

"Undone!" Jack protested.

"Done!" Beckett replied.

"Jack's one of the nine pirate lords!" Barbossa turned to Elizabeth "You have no right t-"

"King." Elizabeth said, taughntingly. She looked to Jack for his obedience.

"As you command…" Jack said, mock bowing.

Barbossa yelled madly. In one motion he drew his sword in a mighty arch, swinging at Jack's head, he seemed to miss, doing no damage other then slicing into Jack's red bandana and severing the small string of beads that hung upon it, but Barbossa seemed content, not swinging again.

His little pet monkey promptly jumped down and fetched the little strand of beads, fetching it back to his master. "If ye have some'n to say, I might be say'n somethin' as well…" Barbossa smiled in Jack's face. Legolas' brow knotted at the words, As he held the ranger close to him, not positive that he was part of the deal coming to their side. Legolas would give his life if it meant Aragorn did not have to go back into Davy's care.

"First to the finish, then?" Jack asked Barbossa. The captain slowly walked over towards the other side of the line. Will walked towards him, and the two circled warily, switching sides. Jack turned to com face to face with Beckett, who extended his arm to the left, signaling that Jack was to stand by Davy Jones.

"Do you fear death?" Davy asked, pressing his face inches from Jack, as the man put his hat back on.

"You've no idea…" Jack said quietly, elicting a broad smile from his new captor.

"Advise your brethren." Cutler Beckett stepped in front of the two. "You can fight, and all of you will die, or you can not fight, in which case only most of you will die."

"You murdered my father…" Elizabeth said angrily, stepping closer to the man.

"He chose his own fate." Beckett defended off handedly.

"And you have chosen yours." Elizabeth answered. "We will fight, and you _will_ die."

Beckett sighed lightly "Is there no way around this, then?"

"There is…" Elizabeth said, stepping even closer. "I can hand you a blade, and you can thrust it into your heart yourself, or I can do it for you."

Beckett laughed, slightly humored by the woman's confidence. "So be it." He said, as Elizabeth turned to leave. Barbossa turned after her, ad his monkey jumped again to his shoulders, dropping Jack's beads into his master's hands, and Will came to help Aragorn to his feet.

Davy laughed as the man panted heavily, struggling painfully to rise, Legolas held him up, and the ranger tried his best to walk on his own feet. It was not working.

"King?" Will asked Elizabeth as they slowly caught up with the others on the way back to their longboat.

"Of the Brethren Court." Elizabeth answered with a smile. "Courtesy of Jack."

"Maybe he does know what he's doing…" Will said, as they arrived in at the small boat.

"Come on, Strider…" Legolas prompted his friend as they started to board the little boat. Will got in first, manning the rudder, and Elizabeth after him. Next Legolas and Aragorn, and last Barbossa, who took the oars.

"Elizabeth… Strider… I'm... So sorry." Will addressed the others as they pushed off the sandbar and began their row back to the Pearl. "It looks as though my deals mean nothing now…" He was not happy with the lack of appeasement of his requests that his father be released and he and Elizabeth kept safe. "All of my deals…" He looked to the ranger, whom he had been forced to trade to Davy.

"It's… Alright, Will…" Aragorn struggled to forced the words from his parched throat. "We'll make it…"

"You, my dear ranger, are in need of some looking after, it seems…" Legolas said, turning the man around so that only he could see the man's back, he helped the ranger remove his ripped and bloody shirt. Legolas' heart sank. "Has no one seen to you at all?" He closed his eyes for a moment, "I'm so sorry, Mellon nin." The elf whispered, reaching into his pack, he found the dwindling supply of healing herbs and bandages and began to treat his friend.

"You were aboard the Dutchman?" Strider questioned, curling over is knees and hiding the red lines that crossed his chest.

"For a time… I am so sorry I wasn't there when you were…" Legolas answered softly as he continued his task.

"Don't expect me to think you didn't receive SOME kind of abuse as well, elf." Aragorn rolled his eyes wearily.

"Yes, but I'll be fine, Mine were treated. You, I am worried about."

"Treated?...Treated by who?" Aragorn asked softly, his dry voice hitching slightly.

Legolas looked around slightly. No one on the boat seemed to pay to much attention to them. He leaned closer to Aragorn's ear. "James Norrington." He whispered with a smile.

Aragorn's brow knotted. He was alive? And to be trusted? It seemed like to much information about one man to handle. But his questions were quickly submissed as Legolas finished his task an turned the ranger around and quickly bound the red slash on the man's forehead.

"Now.. lets see to these last ones, here, this will work better if you lean on-" Legolas stopped, watching the pained expression on his friend's face, as the elf tried to move his arm. Legolas for the first time saw the bloody strips of cloth that wrapped his friend's wrists. "What happened to your hands?" He asked, his tone low and intense.

Aragorn closed his eye. He knew this would happen. He had half hoped it wouldn't, but half hoped it would. If it was to be battle, he knew he could not grip a sword, much less do anything else useful. He did not answer, but silently prompted the elf to remove the makeshift bandage.

Legolas slowly undid the poor knot that Aragorn had struggled to tie. He gasped slightly at the bloody wound he found under it. Something had pierced the friend's wrist, and by the looks of things it had been moved around quite a bit before being removed. The elf's stomach tied itself in a tight knot. He was not sure he wanted to know what had happened, but there was only one thing he could guess. He quickly undid the bandage on his friend's other wrist, only to find a wound even worse than the one he had seen before.

Without another word, Legolas grasped both of his friend's wrists tightly, trying to find the place closest to the wound that would hurt the least. The elf closed his eyes and put his whole body and mind into his task.

"Legolas, no!" Aragorn tried to stop his friend, as Legolas exerted himself to heal the ranger. All eyes in the boat were now on the two friends. "NO!" Aragorn instructed strictly again.

Legolas did not respond. It would take much of his energy and all of his healing skills and more to make this work. Lord Elrond had told him long ago about the healing power between elves and humans. He said it was to be used only in the most desperate of times, and that it was a dangerous trick, but the elven lord had found it once, long ago, when dealing with the rangers and young Estel. If Legolas could do this, he had a chance of healing the man's hands quickly, and getting them at least well enough to function; The gift of Eru to the elves could, at want and need, be given to men as well. But it would be costly.

"Legolas, don't., NO!" Aragorn yelled again. He could not let this happen. Not now. He could literally feel his strength returning, and his hand's gaining function, and the moment he was strong enough, he ripped his hands from Legolas' grasp. "No…" He said again as Legolas, his eyes still closed, rolled forward onto him. "No, stay awake." He said, quickly wrapping his friend in his now partially healed hands. "Stay awake!" He commanded, his tone worried and desperate. That had been a dangerous and potentially deadly move. He gripped Legolas' hand in his, using his own power to call the elf and keep him holding on.

Legolas groaned softly as he lay pressed against his friend's bared chest and shoulder. "Hold on, Legolas…" He heard the words penetrate the sudden onslaught of darkness and weariness that had washed over him. His eyes opened slowly.

"Legolas?" He heard Aragorn's voice. The ranger slowly released his friend, his eyes still filled with worry.

"What… What happened?" Legolas rubbed his head as he sat up. Everyone in the small boat was starring at him now, and they were almost back to the Pearl. "Did it work?" Aragorn became his first concern. Taking the man's hands again, he looked the wounds over. They now appeared old and scarred, as if they had been healing for months. The elf smiled at his work. Aragorn stared at his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists with only slight hindrance and pain.

"How…" He was not even going to ask.

"How did you do that?" Will asked the question in his stead.

"I.. I don't quite know, I just…" Legolas stuttered, as surprised as anyone that his risky trick had worked. "I'm an elf…" He gave his only explanation as an answer. He looked up to see Will, Elizabeth, and Barbossa starring at him, awkward silence surrounding them. "Here…" He said to Aragorn "Put your shirt back on…" Aragorn took the shirt. His chest still sported three stripes, but he would deal with them himself later, no need to burden the elf just now. He looked up to see the Black Pearl rising above them, as Barbossa and Will guided their little long boat into position to board.

Attentions were brought back to the bigger situation as they came back on to the ship full of men.

"We'll need to use the Black Pearl as a flagship to lead the attack." Elizabeth said as she came aboard.

"Oh, will we, now?" Barbossa asked with a smile. Aragorn came last onto the deck, but was taken aback by what he found there.

"Alright, Mrs. Fish, come on…" He heard Pintel's voice. They led Tia Dalma up from the brig, completely covered in thick ropes, so she could barely move at all.

"Barbossa." Will's eyes went huge. Aragorn and he had had plenty of time to talk over Tia Dalma and Calypso, and they had both agreed that it was demonic, wrong, and dangerous. "You can't release her!" He shouted. Within a moment of Barbossa turning to him with angered eyes, ten or more men had pulled and cocked their pistols, all holding William.

"Barbossa, this is wrong." Legolas added, in a moment he too was held at gun point.

"You cannot!" Aragorn added in surprise at the turn of events, soon finding himself captive as well.

"We need to give Jack a chance…" Elizabeth explained, even though there was a much bigger problem that she did not fully see.

"Apologies, yer Majesty. "Barbossa said in Elizabeth's face "Too long my fate has not been in me own hands." He grabbed the old necklace that hung about Elizabeth's neck that Sao Feng had given her. "No longer." He yanked the cord off and turned to drop it and Jack's beads into a shallow bowl that held the other seven pieces of eight.

"Barbossa, you can't!" Aragorn surged forward from his captors, pushing against their strong hands.

"Can't?" Barbossa said with a smile, as he was offered a gunner's rod; a pole with a continually burning ember at the end of it's long fuse.

"Barbossa, you have no idea what you are doing, if you-" Legolas was cut off as a strong hand punched him in the stomach to keep him back.

"Take these poxy rats to the brig!" Barbossa shouted to his men.

Aragorn fought to keep them off, not drawing a weapon, but pushing past the crowd. Legolas fought beside him, but the elf, having started on the ground, was quickly bound. Will found himself carried quickly though the mob, fighting not to go away. They had to stop this.

"Tia Dalma!" Aragorn called, as he surged forward, the closest of the three to the evil woman. She lifted here eyes to him, looking him over with a frown. "Calypso." Aragorn was frightened to even say the name.

Tia's eyes flashed as they hooked onto his, anchoring there. Darkness found its home in those eyes. They swirled strangely with a captivating magic, but Aragorn found no charm in them.

Aragorn pushed forward again, finding himself brought to his knees before the woman by the men that struggled to hold him. He had to do this and do it quick. "In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, I command you to come out!" He spoke to Calypso, the demon that held Tia, most likely of her own choosing and allowance. Pain and fear shot through her dark eyes, but in her pride, she smiled.

"No," A mocking voice came from her lips. The sound was inhumanly twisted, dark, and deep; blood freezing terror issuing out that reminded Aragorn far to much of the Nazgul back in Middle Earth. The voice of a demon, a being of pure and powerful evil.

"LEAVE!" Aragorn yelled harshly as he was finally pulled away and down the stairs. He prayed to God for His hand in this, as the men threw him, Legolas, and Will into the brig and set a guard.

"What do we do now?" Will helped Aragorn off the floor.

Legolas was the first to answer, his voice strong and sure.

"Pray."

"God… We come before you now, helpless… But not afraid. Though all our trials You have been with us. Every time we've stumbled You've been there to welcome us home. In Your name miracles occur, every time we take a breath. We beg Your aid once more. Please. Show these men Your power. Show them Your might; let them see the truth. And let them believe. If our lives are the price, so be it. We will give anything, and everything, for You. But let these men see Your face. Throw off this deception that holds them, show them that You, and You ALONE, are God. And You are mighty to save." Aragorn clenched his eyes shut, on his knees, he prayed aloud for himself, Will, and Legolas. "We ask no more than Your will be done. And we trust it shall be. You have the power, we fall as children into your hands. Help us. Guide us. Teach us to trust. Show us Your power. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." They did not know how long they sat there, together in prayer, but at long last an interruption came.

"Will?" Elizabeth' small voice called from behind them. Will lifted his bowed head and turned to her, rising to meet her though the metal bars.

"Elizabeth…" He grasped her hands.

"Will, what happened… What's going on?" Elizabeth asked, fear and confusion written on her face.

"We... Barbossa can not attempt to release Calypso." He said, unsure of how to begin. "Put no faith in such things. We need… God."

"God?" Elizabeth questioned, not understanding. She had grown up in a decent home; attending church on Sundays, but she had not know Will to care any more than she did about the theological. Until recently. But if a man lived a good life, who could condemn him? To discover what was right and do it was the key. Wasn't it? Or was there really more?

"Yes, We... I mean… I… We know God." He stuttered, unsure of what to say at a time like this. He had tried once to talk to Elizabeth about it, on the way to Singapore. But it was no use then to talk of anything with her.

"You know God?" Elizabeth blinked.

"Yes, His son, Jesus. I think you might know the story. It's true. All of it. And… Elizabeth there really is a God up there, and there really is good and evil, and this... Calypso… is defiantly evil." Will tried to explain but found himself at a loss for words.

"Will, I…This is not the time for-" Elizabeth started

"This is the perfect time for it!" Will cut her off, speaking quickly, but not raising his voice. "This may be the only time for it." He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the crossing metal bars between them. "I just… Need you to trust me."

"Will…" Elizabeth begged his attention quietly "If… If there is a God, why would He want to help us?"

Will looked up, into her eyes "He loves us." He said simply "And… And I know we've all done wrong, " He added, looking up to her eyes and silently begging forgiveness for all the plans he hidden from her in the past. "But that doesn't matter anymore. It's over. Done with. Taken care of. God says that He can help if we come together in His name."

Elizabeth nodded, trying to take in all this information.

Behind him Elizabeth could hear Aragorn and Legolas still praying quietly. "Forgive these men, and show them Your light."

"Will, I'm not sure that-" Elizabeth was cut off as someone stepped down into the hold with heavy footsteps behind them.

"Bring 'em." Barbossa said roughly, tossing the keys to the guard that stood there.

The three captives looked at each other, unsure of what was happening, as Aragorn and Legolas gained their feet, and all three of them were pulled out of their temporary prison. Elizabeth followed them up as the guards took them to the main deck.

"What have you done?" Barbossa asked Aragorn accusingly. Looking around, none of them could spot Tia Dalma anywhere, but obviously whatever she had done was not what Barbossa had wanted.

"Me?" Aragorn answered "Do you think I have power over these things?" He asked.

Barbossa's already deadly eyes narrowed further. "You called a name. Who's name did you call!" He inquired to the power which Aragorn had summoned.

"I called on the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God." Aragorn answered boldly. "And we trust He has acted." The man summed up the fact that whatever Tia had tried to do had failed.

"Acted? PAH!" Barbossa barely contained himself from backhanding the man. "You better be ready to pay for this." He said harshly, looking to all three of his captives.

"Pay?" Legolas raised his eyebrow "I'm not sure what you want from us," He said "But there is an armada out there and we need the Lord's help."

Barbossa rolled his eyes "Yes, since you've destroyed ours."

"Come, We… We should pray." Will spoke up. Barbossa once again rolled his eyes, but the crew was getting desperate. Will slowly lowered himself to his knees again, as Aragorn and Legolas followed. They continued their prayer from the brig

"Lord…" Will lead them this time. Aragorn smiled as he thought of how far the man had come from the scared, insecure man he had talked to aboard the Flying Dutchman. "We come to you once again, in front of all these, to ask that you show them your power."

Legolas barely opened his eyes and looked up to see Regetti come and kneel next to them.

"They are desperate, but You are strong." Will went on.

Elizabeth slowly lowered herself to kneel next to William.

"We put our faith in You alone. And that's all we need." Will kept his eyes closed as a few more of the crew joined them in prayer. "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." He finished his short prayer, knowing that he did not need a long one. He looked up, surprised by those that had joined them. Turning, he took Elizabeth's hand and squoze it gently, reassuring her, and thanking her for her faith and trust in him and his God.

As they slowly rose to their feet, one by one, Barbossa scoffed "That's it?"

Legolas looked up to face the old pirate "Help will come." He said "And if it dosen't, then our time had come, and God's plan is still done." The elf said firmly as the wind around them began to pick up.

"It's not over." Elizabeth said.

"There's still a fight to be fought." Aragorn added.

"We've an armada against us, and with the Flying Dutchman at the lead there's no chance." Gibbs pointed out.

"No chance?" Will asked penitently.

Barbossa rolled his eyes, "Look, you're 'help' isn't here, and it's not a chance I'm willing to take that I'll come."

"But we have to try it. We must fight!" Aragorn defended, not quite seeing how they could run now.

"Revenge won't heal wounds, ranger and it won't bring yer father back, Miss Swann." Barbossa said "And it's not something I'm willing to die for."

Elizabeth turned back to him. "You're right." This was not about revenge. "Then what shall we die for?" She asked, turning back to the rest of her crew. "You will listen to me." She said "Listen!"

The Pirate King stepped up onto the port rail so that they could all see her. "The Brethren will still be looking here to us, to the Black Pearl to lead. And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelict ship? No." Elizabeth thought back over the years. Long ago, when she was but a little girl reading about pirates and their adventures. They inspired her. Now it was her turn. "No they will see free men. And freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons; they will hear the ring of our swords, and they will know what we can do!" Being Pirate King was like living her childhood dream, long after she had forgotten that it was her dream. Her voice turned horse as she continued, but the words effect was the same. "By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs… And the courage of our hearts!" She yelled, he voice thick with emotion. "Gentlemen… Hoist the colors."

"Hoist the colors!" Will nodded.

"Hoist the colors!"

"Hoist the colors!" The call went out all over the ship.

"Aye." Gibbs added. "The wind's on our side boys, that's all we need!"

Aragorn turned to Will and Legolas as the crowd cheered. "God's on our side, boys. That's all we need."

"Hoist the colors!" Elizabeth shouted at the top of her lungs to the other ships in their line. Soon all the brethren were up in arms. Flags from every corner of the earth were raised in allegiance and in war, and the wind picked up to carry them valiantly over the ships below.

As the wind continued to rise, the cheering men looked to the sky, the clouds darkening above them, as a storm moved in unnaturally fast. Aragorn smiled. Perhaps help had arrived before they even knew it. Rain wet the man's uplifted face, as thunder crashed loudly, and lightning split the sky overhead, the clouds curling into an odd spiral between them and their enemies. The sea roughened, large waves gaining white tops, and the pouring rain added to the danger as the Black Pearl pulled out of the pirate's line to face the Flying Dutchman.

"Man the capstain! Raise the main top yard, keep that powder dry!" Gibbs shouted orders over the loud wind as he walked down the deck. All around the men made ready for war. Aragorn carefully passed Legolas a cylindrical package of gunpowder, and the elf handed it to one of the top gunners, who loaded it quickly.

Lightning flashed, and a low groaning filled the air, ad the sea beneath them formed a violent funnel, a giant whirlpool of massive proportions.

"MALESTROM!" Gibbs yelled as he looked over the starboard rail in fear. At once, several of the crew joined him. Aragorn's mouth dropped open and he turned to Legolas as the two surveyed the help that God had sent them. It was far more than then could have asked or even imagined.

Aragorn had always wondered what it must have looked like when the earth opened to swallow the Númenórean fleet on their rebellious mission during the second age. Now he knew. He looked to the elf next to him.

"If the sea didn't lead to Hell before, it certainly does now!" The ranger yelled over the wind. The dark swirl of water seemed to lead to the void itself, just like in the stories.

Legolas stood simply staring for a moment, before smiling and placing his hand on Aragorn's shoulder. "We aren't going to Hell, Gwador nin." He said, looking the man in the eye. "Count on that." Aragorn smiled. If they had to die this day, He knew that everything would be alright.

"Captain Barbossa!" Elizabeth called, as the two friends ran up to speak with Will about the encroaching storm, "We need you at the helm!"

Barbossa looked at her for a moment as if considering. "Aye that be true!" He laughed and shoved Cotton of the wheel, taking it with both hands, and guided the ship strait into the violent storm "Brace up yards you cack-handed deck apes!" he yelled "Dyin' is the day worth livin' for!"


	11. Chapter 11

"She's on our stern and gaining!" Will reported, as those aboard the Black Pearl prepared to face both the powerful storm of God and the Flying Dutchman.

"More speed!" Barbossa coaxed the men "Haul your wind and hold your water!"

Aragorn ducked, as an explosion behind him gave only half a moment's warning before a large iron ball came flying past his head. The mighty bow cannons of the Flying Dutchman were aimed on them.

"Take us out! Or they'll overbear us!" Will shouted at Barbossa

"Nay!" He yelled back "Further in! We'll cut across the faster waters!" He said, turning the ship even more sharply into the storm.

"Prepare to broadside!" Elizabeth shouted over the wind and rain.

Legolas and Aragorn ran down back to the main deck to prepare, as they cut across to come beside the Dutchman.

"Captain the guns! Bear a hand!" Gibbs yelled.

"Master your courage, men! At the ready!" Will called, handing Legolas a gunner's rod. The elf nodded, hoping he knew what to do with it. If he was right all he had to do was touch the red tip to the cannon's fuse and stand out of the way.

All around, shouts were going up, as thunder crashed, occasionally drowning out all sound and adding to the maddening situation.

"Batten down the hatches! Stand to your guns! Midship cannoneers, sight the masts! Hold there! Wait till we're board-and-board!" They heard Gibbs yell.

With one word all hell broke loose between the two ships.

"FIRE!"

"Fire!"

"Fire! Fire all!"

The shout was repeated. Legolas touched the tip of his rod to the cannon's fuse, and within an instant, a huge crash, almost louder than the thunder, filled the air, as multiple cannons were fired at once. The cannon shot back, the kick of the blast pushing it backwards, and He and Aragorn worked to re load it to the best of their abilities.

All around them debris fell like rain, and cannon balls shot past at high speed. Will ran past, conducting the top deck, he shoved a man to the ground just in time, as a missile shot over their heads. Beside them, one of the cannons was blasted away, the force of a strong blow tossing the heavy metal tube high into the air, and almost hitting both Will and Legolas.

"It be to late to alter course now, mateys!" Barbossa laughed from the stern.

"Prepare to board!" Aragorn heard someone call. He looked up to see those aboard the Dutchman, which was getting closer with every moment, also preparing to come across.

"Come on, men!" Will called the men to prepare for battle, as he shoved a pistol into Aragorn's hands. Legolas abandon his cannon and grabbed his bow as the men prepared to swing across.

As the first men from the Dutchman arrived, Will stepped up and fired a shot at point blank range, knocking a mutant off the ship. Aragorn follow him, aiming the strange device in his hand like a small cannon, he pulled the trigger.

Nothing happened. Aragorn pulled the trigger again. Nothing. Rolling his eyes, Will came over and quickly slammed his hand on the gun's hammer, cocking it. He nodded to Aragorn as the ranger lifted his hand once more and shot. This time it fired, the force knocking one of the swinging men into the water below.

By this time Legolas had lost count of the arrows he had spent, but not all of them were worth it. He drew his knife and faced a man had had already shot twice, the arrows taking no effect. Beside him Aragorn drew his blade, coming to Legolas' side, they once again fought Davy Jones' mutants off.

Rain wet the ranger's injured back, and only the rush of the fight kept him from groaning in pain as he exerted himself far more then he should have. A blade swung high, and he ducked quickly. The rough blade barely grazed him, cutting the fabric Legolas had wrapped his head in earlier, it partially reveled the nasty red slash that Davy had given him, adding to the bleeding length as the sharp edge ran across his skin. Aragorn yelled half in pain, half in a war cry, as he caught the stray blade with his own, forcing it's bearer's arm down, he pinned the man to the floor with a quick thrust, before standing to his feet to fight on.

A short ways off Will threw off on of the East India Trading Company soldiers.

"Elizabeth!" He called, coming to her side, he blocked a swipe from the monster she was fighting, and joined her in stabbing it. "Elizabeth…" He caught her arm, taking less then a moment to prepare himself for one of the most important moments of his life. "Will you marry me?" he asked.

Elizabeth's brow furrowed, taken aback, as she at last threw off the mutant attacking her. " I don't think know is the best time!" She answered, blocking a man behind her and spinning away to finish him off.

"Now may be the only time!" Will called as he stabbed a man that looked like he was covered in jellyfish. He came back to Elizabeth as she flipped a soldier and left him lifeless on the ground. "I love you." He stopped to deflect another enemy blow "I've made my choice. What's yours?" He asked, grabbing her arm again.

Elizabeth look into his eyes, holding her breath for a heartbeat, before letting him know.

"Barbossa!" She called. Will's brow furrowed. "Marry us!" Elizabeth asked the captain.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Barbossa yelled.

Will could not help smiling as he sliced his blade into the chest of a slime covered mutant. "Barbossa now!" He yelled.

"Fine then!" Barbossa shouted, stabbing two men at once with his sword, he pulled the blade of his attacker forward to stab another behind him.

Aragorn looked up to see the captain standing high up on the top rail "Dearly beloved we be gathered here today…" The man started. Aragorn's brow knotted at the words. He looked down to see Will and Elizabeth standing together watching him. "To nail your gizzard to the mast, ya poxy cur!" Barbossa shouted, stopping to fight off two assailants.

Aragorn could not help laughing slightly at the situation. As soon as he got the chance, he grabbed Legolas, inferring without a word that they should try their best to protect the two. Legolas smiled and nodded, running up to assail a monster before it could reach where Will stood grasping Elizabeth's hands.

"Elizabeth Swann. Do you take me to be your husband?" Will instigated the vows in Barbossa's stead.

"I do!" Elizabeth smiled, almost laughing in what should have been a brutal war scene.

"…Great!" Will smiled just as wide.

"Look out!" Aragorn called, as a mutant charged the two. Elizabeth ducked, and William blocked the new foe, lashing out to bring him down.

"Will Turner, do you take me…" Elizabeth ducked a blade and took Will's hand. Before she could continue, both her and Will turned to fight the monsters surrounding them, as Aragorn and Legolas fought to keep them back. "To be your wife?" Elizabeth finally finished her question, looking up to him, she still held his hand.

Together they fought off the hordes that surrounded them, Will spun Elizabeth around as they kept their grip on each other.

"In sickness and in heath…" Elizabeth went on, as Will came up behind her, holding her about the waist now as she lashed at an oncoming foe, he helped, putting his own force into the blow, "With health being the less likely!" She added.

Elizabeth ducked and Will swung out above her head, knocking two men to the ground. As she stood, he caught her again, holding her close. "I do." He smiled. At that moment they both ducked, as two of the mutants swung out at them, their blades flying above the twos heads. Aragorn and Legolas jumped quickly to help fight them off, as Barbossa finally continued.

"As Captain I now pronounce you…" he was interrupted as a soldier swung at his feet. Will and Elizabeth stabbed at their enemies, crossing each other and practically leaning on one another, as they tried to protect themselves, barely acknowledging the two that fought off mutant after mutant to keep the numbers low enough that they might live.

"You may kiss…" Barbossa stopped to draw his pistol and unload it on an approaching soldier with a laugh.

Will swung Elizabeth around, so that she leaned back in his arms, closing her eyes as he leaned close to kiss her.

"Will!" Legolas called. The man's head snapped up just in time to block his bride from the blade of an oncoming soldier. Elizabeth stood up and sliced the man, sending him to the floor.

"You may kiss…!" Barbossa was interrupted again.

Will lashed out, striking a strange looking creature to the ground, as he sensed another behind him. The man spun around, raising his blade to block, he found himself face to face with the love of his life, who's blade now lay locked with his.

"Just kiss!" Barbossa yelled from the stern deck.

Elizabeth grabbed William's arm and pulled him close. And Aragorn and Legolas doubled their efforts to protect the two.

Time seemed to stand still as their lips touched. Completely lost in the moment. Rain pelted their faces, as they stood, eyes closed, together.

Aragorn smiled at the two; he knew how long they had been waiting for this. And he would not let it die any faster then it had to. The man thrust his sword forward, tossing another disgusting assailant to the ground, he moved quickly on to dispatch the next being that tried to touch the two newlyweds.

Waves crashed over the bow, shooting water high up into the sky around them, but no one seemed to care. Will forgot all his cares when he kissed Elizabeth, the danger barely registering, until at last reality was forced back onto the pair.

The entire ship jerked as the top of the mast made contact with that of the Dutchman, just as Will and Elizabeth pulled away from each other. Aragorn was thrown to his knees, and Legolas quickly jumped to protect the man, standing over him as he rose.

"We're no more use here!" Will called over the wind, grabbing a rope to swing across to the Dutchman He looked back to Elizabeth.

"Go, I'll follow when I can…" She told him. Will nodded. Looking next to Aragorn and Legolas, he nodded a quick thank you for their protection before taking off.

"Come on!" Legolas called his friend, grabbing Aragorn's shoulder, the elf climbed quickly on the netlike rigging that ran up to the sails. Aragorn followed without question, struggling to climb the wet ropes after his graceful friend. Legolas offered a hand up as they reached the first crossbeam, but they continued quickly to the next.

Legolas' slender fingers easily found grip on the wet ropes, and he lifted himself swiftly up the ropes leading to the highest mast. He looked down to the man below him, saying a quick prayer that the man was doing alright with the ever worsening conditions. The wind whipped his face, and the whole mast swayed, creaking oddly and fighting the locking contact it shared with the mast of the Dutchman.

"Where are we going?" Aragorn yelled above the wind and rain, squinting his eyes to look up at his guide.

Legolas had no response but to lift the man up onto the last and smallest beam. Aragorn looked down. Far below them a fight raged.

"Legolas!" Aragon called in sudden shock, not realizing how high they were.

"Come on!" Legolas called, making his way towards where the masts of the Pearl and Dutchman locked. Aragorn's brow knotted as he watched the elf walk quickly across the treacherous crossing, now aboard the Flying Dutchman. The elf turned to beckon him to follow.

Aragorn stood frozen in place for a moment. There was no way he could make that.

"Come on, Estel!" Legolas called him "I'm here, come on!"

Aragorn took a deep breath and stated forward. His whole being shook in fear as he inched forward. Wind swirled madly around him, threatening to steal the elf's words from him. Water pelted him from all angles, driving his all to fresh injuries much farther then was good for his health. Looking down, it was a long fall into the black oblivion of the swirling maelstrom.

_Dear God…_ He mouthed silently, looking up and closing his eyes for a moment, reminding himself never to look down. He looked back to see Legolas still waiting for him. The elf reached out carefully toward him, struggling to keep his own balance. Aragorn could feel his hands sweating as he continued forward.

One step. Aragorn tittered pacariously over a fall to sure death. The wind fought him as he was forced to balance on one foot, quickly stumbling forward. Almost there.

"You can do it, come on!" Legolas prompted. If the man fell, Legolas would dive in after him without a second thought, but he hoped to catch the man before that happened.

With one last push Aragorn was over. Legolas caught him as he half jumped, half stumbled across. The ranger's force swung both of them around, and for a moment Legolas stood, pinning Aragorn to the top of the Dutchman's main mast. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before they made their way down. Aragorn nodded at him, reassuing the elf that he was alright.

The way down the mast was mach faster, as the two friends slid quickly down the wet ropes, and they quickly arrived down on the main deck of the Flying Dutchman.

All around them swords clashed, filling the air with the unmistakable sound of steel clashing on cold steel. Water few from every direction imaginable, and debris the same. Even in the chaos, Legolas found a moment to talk to his friend.

"Aragorn…" He grabbed the man's shoulder.

Aragorn looked up into his friend's confused eyes, following them quickly to the main mast, where a long board was still nailed: it and the mast were both still stained bright with red blood. Legolas' mouth hung open for a moment, looking down to Aragorn's only mostly healed wrists. He finally understood.

Aragorn clamped his jaw, shacking his head at the elf, he quickly pushed past his friend to deflect a blow headed for them.

In a moment, Legolas was fighting again. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, making whatever heartfelt pain he might have found at the tell tale signs of his friend's torture seem second class information opposed to his bodies warnings about the world around him. He swung his twin blades with elven skill thousands of years in the making. Graceful even in the rain, he was still not used to the enemies he downed standing back to their feet to come at him again.

Aragorn turned, hoisting his blade up to slice into the midsection of his new attacker. His arms grew weary, but he fought on. Looking up, before him a poor East India Trading Company soldier lifted a blade to his own chest, ready to take his own life. Aragorn felt a sharp pang of pity and guilt pierce him, momentarily longing to run up and save the man from himself.

In a moment the feeling was gone, as before him crashed down Davy Jones from the mast above.

The angry captain grabbed the blade in the young soldier's hands, thrusting it forward, he spared the man the trauma of killing himself before pulling the blade out to be used in battle.

Aragorn's brow knotted at the man's cruel actions, although he did not know why. He had seen how cruel Davy could be first hand not to long ago.

The ranger ran up, lifting his sword, he came on Davy.

Jones' grim face quickly turned to a cruel smile as he looked his new opponent up and down. He was truly amazed to see the man alive.

"Come back for more!" The tenticled man yelled.

Fire burned in Aragorn's eyes. Jones had Hurt him, and more importantly he had hurt Legolas. More important still he had mocked the Lord God. The ranger let out a shout as he rushed forward, coming into combat with Jones at last.

As Legolas spun around, he found him self carried quickly to the port side of the ship. William ran past him, holding the Dead Man's Chest in both hands.

"We have to find Jack!" Will yelled through the rain. "We-" The man stopped for a moment, looking up towards the bow of the ship "Legolas-"

Legolas followed Will's eyes to where the man was starring. Up on the stern deck, he watched as Aragorn's blade met the blade of Davy Jones in mid air. The captain's blade forced his friend's down, and the man had to spin away quickly to avoid the cruel metal tip.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called, turning back to Will "Go find Jack." He said, as Will nodded, knowing what the elf had to do and why he could not help.

As Legolas ran back to the stern, Will ran forward a pace, looking over his shoulder.

_*Wham*_

He was on the ground.

The chest flew from his hands as a sharp fist made contact with his face, the force of the blow enough to send him off balance and to the ground. He looked up quickly to see his attacker.

Bootstrap. His father.

The man came at him, blade raised high, to end his life.

Will drew his blade quickly in defense, blocking his father's blow and jumping quickly to his feet. Bootstrap yelled as he came at the boy again, blocking and cutting, like a fight with any other man.

"Stop, it's me!" Will yelled at him. Bootstrap sent another blow towards him, knocking him back. Will countered quickly, coming into a position where he could grab his father's hands, he stopped the man and looked straight into his eyes. "It's Will! Your son."

Will watched in horror as Bootstrap stared at him, absolutely no recognition on his face. Suddenly, the old man grabbed Will by his hair, rocking his head back, he threw the boy roughly into the wall, swinging his arm back to stab him quickly.

Will sat stunned for half a moment as his head made hard contact with the wood of the Dutchman, before being forced to duck his father's blade once more.

Legolas drew his knives up in a protective posture as he leapt to guard his friend.

Aragorn was struck to the ground as Davy neared to finish him off, but he would have to get past Legolas first. The captain smiled at the elf, finding it almost humorous that these two were still here, and they still thought they could best him. He lashed out quickly, catching his blade on the crossed knives that faced him, he found himself spinning around quickly, as Legolas grabbed his wrist, tossing him away from Aragorn. The elf smiled as Davy was forced to turn and quickly stumble down a small flight of stairs to keep from falling down them.

Quickly pulling Aragorn to his feet, Legolas then followed Davy to the rail to see the man now facing down Jack Sparrow.

"Lets not do that again…" Legolas turned to his friend momentarily. Aragorn nodded weakly, as he held his side tightly. The man grimaced as he looked up to Legolas. He would have liked to hide the pain, but at a time like this it was impossible. His back bled freely, washed in the rain, and even his partially healed wrists seemed stressed in the fight. His ripped chest and sides stained his tunic, and he now sported a new injury.

"Aragorn?" Legolas' brow knotted as he immediately grabbed onto Aragorn's hand, prying it off a little, he could see the deep, bright red slash wound that his friend had received.

Aragorn took a deep breath, trying to deal with the pain the wound inflicted with every breath. His eyes went wide as he looked up to his friend. "Legolas!" He barley managed to get the word out, grabbing the elf by the shoulders and tossing him to the ground, as a barnacle covered blade sung at what was once the level of his neck. Aragorn fell to the ground with his friend, half dragged, he squatted quickly, grunting through the pain as he lashed out with his feet, knocking their attacker to the ground.

"Herridan!" They heard a yell from the lower deck, the all too familiar voice of the man that had moments ago wounded Aragorn: Davy Jones. "You'll see no mercy from me!" He yelled angrily, but the two had no time to listen or look. Legolas cried out to his friend quickly, before once again grasping the man's shoulder. He rolled the ranger over quickly, putting himself between the man and attack.

Aragorn grit his teeth as his wounded back was pressed against the rough wood of the battle-laden deck of the Dutchman, and Legolas' weight was added to his. The elf above him rolled off quickly, drawing a small blade from where he knew he would find it in his friend's boot, he struck out above him, and quickly made his way over to where he had dropped his own knives.

Aragorn quickly rolled up to his hands and knees. He tried desperately to stop the world from spinning before him, willing his adrenaline to counter the heavy toll of his blood loss. He crawled quickly over to where he had dropped his blade, picking it up, he stood to his feet as slowly as he dared in a war zone.

As the blood slowly flowed back up to his head, Aragorn turned as an attacker came up behind him. He lashed out with his fist, making hard but unskilled contact with the mutant's face. The force was still enough to knock his attacker to the ground, and Aragorn turned away, stumbling over to the rail of the upper deck, he gripped the gash on his side tightly as he looked for his allies and friends.

"Legolas…" He half called, half muttered as he worked his way as quickly as possible to the lower deck. He had to help his friends.

"Did you forget…" He watched as Davy Jones spoke to Will, who's blade had driven straight through the cruel captain. "I'm a heartless wretch!" Davy grabbed the blade with his claw where it protruded through his chest. Twisting it forcefully, he bent the metal to the left.

Will's brow furrowed as he tried to yank his blade back. It was stuck. He pulled another time, but the now twisted blade would not move. Davy laughed darkly, turning to strike at the now un-armed man behind him.

Will ducked quickly as Davy's blade flew over his head. He held onto his sword, being dragged behind the captain, as Davy spun around tying to strike him. Will ducked as the blade flew again, but was caught none the less. Davy's hard leg came up, slamming into the man's head and sending to the ground.

"Will!" Aragorn called out, working quickly to the man's side.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called after his friend.

Aragorn cried out softly as he was shoved to the ground, a pair of chain-shot wrapping around his legs. He heard a dark laughter above him, and turned quickly to look at his new attacker as the mutant drew a short blade, ready to thrust it down and end his life.

"No!" Aragorn heard a call. In a moment the man above him was knocked backwards, two elven arrows sticking out of his chest. In half a moment more Legolas was standing over him, protecting him. Aragorn fumbled with the heavy chain that wrapped his ankles as he looked back to Will.

Will lay slumped against the rail of the Dutchman, and it did not take Aragorn long to spot Elizabeth, not far off, also trapped weaponless on the floor. Davy stood over Will, looking back and forth between the two. "Ah… Love." He smiled, seeing the familiar look in their eyes as they looked to each other. "A dreadful bond…" He said, stepping closer to Will "And yet…" He leveled his blade with Will's throat "So easily severed." His smile grew, as William looked up at him, fear edging in his eyes. "Tell me, William Turner: Do you fear death?"

Aragorn finally untangled himself from the mass of metal, as Legolas shoved his attacker of into the swirling sea below them, turning back to his friends, he gasped as he surveyed the scene, making ready to launch an arrow at Davy's hand.

"Do you?" Jack Sparrow's voice stopped him. Davy tuned slowly to see what this new interruption was. There stood Jack, a broken blade in one hand and in the other a still beating heart. At his feet lay the once again empty Dead Man's Chest.

"Davy Jones, do you fear death?" Aragorn asked, his voice weak as he slowly stood to his feet, with Legolas steadying him. Water and Blood once again flowed from his face, back, sides, and even his wrists, and his breath came once more in shallow gasps. He was sure in a few moments he would pass out, his body working purely on adrenaline now. Davy glared hard at him, before turning back to the captain.

"Heavy tonic, holding life and death in the palm of one's hand…" Jack said with a smile, bringing his blade closer to Davy Jones' only weakness.

"You're a cruel man, Jack Sparrow!" Davy yelled in a fit of rage.

"Cruelty is a matter of perspective." Jack said coolly, with a smile.

"Is it?" Davy returned the smile, evil and dark, before turning to act upon his own cruelty.

Shouting at he turned around, he thrust his blade into William's chest.


	12. Chapter 12

Will cried out sharply as the cold metal pierced his flesh, his body reeling in pain. His vision flashed as his body was wracked with the most startling pain he had ever suffered. His mouth opened in an almost silent scream, his pain was doubled as Davy twisted the sword cruelly, driving it farther into William's chest. The cold, unforgiving metal he had shaped so long ago with his own hands now bit painfully into his own flesh, opening an agonizing, mortal wound.

A collective gasp came from all those around, as it seemed the whole world stopped in shock.

"No!" Aragorn stumbled forward, forcing himself from the ground, he ran to Will's side.

Davy looked up quickly to see the ranger's approached, leaving the sword in William's dying body, he turned and lashed out against Aragorn, his elbow slamming into the ranger's head, he forcefully shoved the man to the starboard rail, the force knocking Aragorn out, and knocking him off the ship.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called, breaking whatever freezing spell of shock that had stolen him, running up to the rail to watch his friend fall into the deadly vortex below. "NO!" he called, grabbing a nearby rope, cut it from its anchor, and dove after his friend without a second thought, condemning himself to a death beside the man he called a brother.

Davy smiled, laughing loudly as he turned back to Jack, giving him a full view of the dying man that lay in agony behind him.

Will gripped the blade that speared him with both hands, panting miserably in the rain as the last moments of his life slipped from his grasp. It seemed like so long ago, he had made this very blade with his own two hands. It was the second finest thing he had ever crafted. And the only thing that surpassed it lay in his pocket.

"Will…" Elizabeth came up beside him, still in shock. She quickly tried to let reason take hold, she gripped the handle of the blade, prepared to take it out if it would spare her new husband more pain.

"No…" Will tried to force the word out, as he gasped for shallow breaths, his eyes closing tightly in vain attempt to deal with the pain. Elizabeth immediately left it, dropping to her knees by his side, she gripped his hand tightly.

Will struggled to open his eyes, forcing his left hand down, dragging Elizabeth's hand with it, to the pocket of his coat. There was something he had not gotten the chance to do that he wished to now. Fumbling miserably with the pocket, Elizabeth frantically pulled whatever it was out for him. As she pulled the first item out, two more rolled out after it.

It was a Bible in her hand, and two gold rings. Inbeaded in one if them was a shining jewel. William looked down at them, as Elizabeth took them in her hand, tears flooding her eyes as she shakily slipped one onto her finger, and one onto that of her husband, even as he lay dying. He had them all this time, even before they left Port Royal so long ago. But now at last they meant something.

Will forced a weak smile onto his lips ad he looked down at the ring, tears filling his eyes. It was so hard to leave them now. Just as his dreams had come true. He did not wish for Elizabeth to be so alone so quickly. He prayed to God she would be alright, as the reality set in that he would never again be there for her. He cursed himself silently for bring their dreams to life, only to have the woman of his dreams abandon and hurt. If only he could tell her. He would tell her that she need not cling to him; a dead man. She should go, live her life; find someone else. Not grieve for him. But he could not.

Elizabeth held his face with both hands as his head fell back, his eyes closing.

"No… No, look at me, stay with me!" Elizabeth called desperately, as her love struggled to open his eyes once more. "You're alright…" Elizabeth assured falsely, desperate for something to hold to; no matter how unstable.

William's eyes fell shut once more, as darkness reached out to claim him. His limp body growing less and less responsive, he barely gasped for breath now.

"Will?" Elizabeth called, tears steaming down her face, mixing with the rain. "Will, look at me. Look at me!" She begged. But Will could not.

"Quick!" Jack came up beside them, grabbing Will's right hand. Will struggled to shift his position, letting his head roll to the right he watched as Jack took his hand, closing his fingers around the man's broken sword and positioning it over Davy's heart. Jack looked to him quickly, as Will tried his best to nod and show his support of the action.

Jack dropped Will's wrist, letting gravity aid them as Will's hand drove the blade he held into Davy Jones' heart. Elizabeth and Jack looked up to watch as Davy jerked, turning back with a choked gasp, he looked upon the scene of shocking sacrifice, and love, before turning to the sky.

"Calypso…" He whispered, as life fled him, and he fell forward, his dead body tumbling into the swirling water below.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called, his words choked off as his mouth filled with seawater. He could see the man's body not far off, but the unresponsiveness he saw there worried him. Caught in the overpowering current, they were both swept quickly towards immanent death.

Legolas swam forward, gripping the rope in his hands tightly, speeding the current as he came toward the ranger. "Aragorn!" He repeated, calling through the still driving rain, he grasped the man as they were both swept quickly around the giant whirlpool, grabbing the man and holding onto him for dear life.

_Come on!_ His mind screamed, as he turned the man in his arms around, looking over his bloody face, he watched as the water that carried them slowly drew Aragorn back into the land of the waking. The same water that was taking them both toward the land of the dead.

Aragorn groaned as his already insanely overstressed body was carried by the fast, cold water, towards the terrorizing hole below them. "Legolas!" He called in fright, choking on the water that filled his lungs.

"Hold on!" Legolas struggled to shout, still grasping the rope tethered high on the Dutchman's mast. It did next to nothing to anchor them, but struggled to give him some sense of false security. Aragorn's head spun, with blood loss, stress, and now the maddening spin of the water that tossed him, and the terror of their destination. His mind turned once again to the tales of old; how the sea gaped to receive the army of Númenor, and take them to the abyss.

"No!" Legolas shouted in anger, as the thick rope that he held snapped, dropping limply into the water, as the topmost beam on the Dutchman's rigging was intentionally broken, allowing the Black Pearl to turn away from the fight.

They were going to die.

Aragorn closed his tired eyes as he gripped Legolas tightly. They would die together, but he had never imagined it like this. His whole body screamed at him, but he blocked it all out.

_Lord…_ He prayed, _Your will be done…_

"No…" Elizabeth whimpered, tears flowing down her cheeks, as her husband's eyes closed for the final time. His head fell limp in her hands, his shallow breath coming in less and less frequent intervals, until they did not come at all. "No, No!" Elizabeth stuttered frantically, "No!" She cried, holding his body in her arms still. "Don't leave me…" She cried miserably over him, pulling his body forward, she held on to him as if she could keep him from dying, her lips barely caressing his.

Sitting beside her, Jack looked up to see all the mutant crew of the Dutchman returning to find what happened to their captain.

"Part of the ship, part of the crew." They groaned, approaching William. "Part of the ship, part of the crew…" Jack looked to see the knife that Bootstrap held in his hand. He could not let Elizabeth see this, and they had to get off the ship.

"Don't!" Elizabeth cried as Jack grabbed her arms, dragging her away from the man she loved "No! I won't leave you!" She called to Will.

"Part of the ship, part of the crew…"

Jack quickly untied the ropes that held the lowest sail on the main mast, grabbing a rifle from the battle laden deck and heading to the rail.

"The Dutchman must have a captain." Bootstrap said, kneeling before his son.

"Hold on!" Jack yelled to Elizabeth over the rain, shooting the last bearing that held the sail in place. In half a moment he and Elizabeth were carried away through the air, the sail acting as a giant parachute, as the Dutchman below them fell prey to the maelstrom.

Bootstrap grunted as he took up the knife he had given to Will so long ago, forcing it into his son's chest.

Legolas looked up to see the Dutchman, uncontrolled now, falling towards him. "Look out!" He called, grabbing Aragorn tightly, he tried once more to swim against the current, and up the sickening spiral. But it was no use.

Behind them, the great ship plummeted downward quickly, the mast's pulling it to the side, as the wind whipped madly around it, the water's force on the haul twisting it oddly.

"Whoa!" Aragorn called, as he and Legolas seemed to be sucked backwards by the water's pull, drawn towards the fallen ship.

Crying out quickly, both of their shouts were choked, as the two were plunged at last under the surface, for what they both knew would be the final time.


	13. Chapter 13

Bright white light shone from all around. Stronger then the sun and brighter than the stars, it seemed to engulf his entire being, upholding him, surrounding him, even flowing oddly through him. William Turner held his arm over his eyes, a weak guard against the binding light that surrounded him. Where was he? Was he dead? That must have been it. He always wondered what it would be like to die. Slowly, he lowered his arm, finding his eyes somehow able to withstand the brilliant light.

Looking around, he could see nothing. No one. Was this really heaven? His mind slowly recalled what had happened. He remembered the storm… And Davy Jones… And Elizabeth. He remembered Jack taking his hand and closing his fingers around a knife, although he could not remember why… He remembered praying to God that Elizabeth would be alright when he was gone.

God. If he was in heaven, where was God? He opened his tired eyes once more, peering through the light like mist. Nothing. What if they had been wrong? What if…

Then he saw it.

Before him, walking through the light, the most unmistakable figure. As soon as Will saw Him, he knew who He was. Walking slowly, He came through the light. He was the source of the light. Will stood frozen, his mouth open in awe, as He approached. The scars still lingered on His wrists and feet; the most unmistakable tokens of love ever made.

"Lord…" Will fell immediately to his knees. His head down, his eyes closed, he fell before the Lord God Almighty. "Forgive me…" He said quietly, as fear, shame, and a sudden self awareness overtook him. Curling in on himself, he humbled himself fully, as tears found their way down his cheeks. He did not deserve this. He was a sinner, a mortal, jut a man. How could one man ever stand in the presence of the Lord God? The One who created him, and the One whom he had disobeyed.

The very light that surrounded him made Will more and more aware of his own shame. He was a pirate, a robber, betrayer, murderer. He fought for a cause that opposed all authority, and fought independently for causes only his own. Even Elizabeth and his father seemed to prideful a cause now. In the odd silence, his heart was fully exposed to the Lord. "Forgive me…" Will sobbed again, having not the strength to hold back his tears, he was ready to beg, plead, anything. He did not deserve even this moment. He could not bring himself to look upon his Lord's face, and sobbed quietly, curled down, on his knees.

"My son…" The brilliant voice of God came to him. It was indescribable. Powerful, glorious, striking fear and awe in all hearts. But loving. Gracious. Comforting. Compassionate. "My son…" He heard the voice of Christ say again, a strange pity in his tone, as He knelt before the sobbing man. Taking Will's shaking hands in His own, He placed his right hand gently on William's cheek.

Tears continued to stream down the broken man's face as he looked up to God; his mouth opened in awe, his brow creased slightly in fear, his eyes shone with wonder and pleaded for underserved mercy. But most importantly, behind the fear, shame, and pleading, was trust and hope. Trust that whatever was to come, it was what was right. And the hope that he had received, not long ago, by first holding this trust.

The Lord smiled at him fondly, holding him gently, He looked into the man's eyes. "All is forgiven." He said quietly, His voice alone enough to comfort all fears.

Will breathed in deeply, he could not be thankful enough. The unfathomable had come true. There were no words he could say, nothing he could ever do, to show how much this meant. He stood a man guilty, but not condemned.

"You are a child of Mine," Jesus said, looking still into William's eyes. Slowly, the most unexpected thing Will could imagine came to be. A small tear fell from his Lord's eye. Tears of pride, love, and compassion. "You are Mine, my son. But your time is not over." The Lord explained. "You shall serve Me for years to come. And I will show you My wonders, and My ways. You shall suffer for Me in glory, and know that you _are_ a child of Mine." He continued with a smile.

Will nodded quickly, as Jesus Christ Himself wiped away the tears that streaked his face.

"There…" The Lord said. Gently, He took William's face in his hands, and, tipping his head down, He kissed his brow lightly. Will closed his eyes, as with Christ's every touch he felt wonderful power flow into him. "Now… Save those you love. It is not there time, nor yours, to come home."

Will nodded quickly again, looking up once again to his Lord's smile. He would never forget that smile.

Grasping Will's right hand with His own, The Son of God placed His right hand over the man's heart. Pressing His hand against Will's chest, He exerted his power slowly to wake the man from the vision he was in. Will could feel the power of life flowing though him as he looked down to his Lord's hand.

For the first time, he noticed that he did not have a pulse. A sharp pain began to grow in his chest. Closing his eyes and sucking in breath sharply, he gripped the Lord's hand tightly. He could feel the scars of the cross still on Christ's flesh.

Slowly, the pain in his chest grew. Sharper and more defined. Gripping Christ's hand tighter, he could feel God's sustaining power flowing into him, supporting him, as the pain grew to normally unbearable amounts. He closed his eyes tightly, before opening them once more.

"Thank you…" He said quietly, his voice choked by pain, his thankfulness was real, as he looked once more up to Jesus Christ, tears brimming on his eyes, and nodded his thanks.

Christ nodded slowly, his face that of a proud father watching his son. "I love you…" He said simply.

Will closed his eyes tightly once more, letting the words sink in, as the light around him faded.

With a rush, he was underwater. The storm above still crashed overheard, but he found himself suddenly sinking.

Like a tidal wave, sudden sharp pain ripped through his entire body, as his father cut slowly and carefully at the flesh of his chest. Screaming in pain, Will's body reacted immediately, trying desperately to escape the excruciating pain. Water rushed into his mouth as it opened in a silent scream. His body reeled, wanting only to escape the unbearable pain.

Quickly, the men jumped to restrain him. It took more then nine of them to hold their lashing captain down, grasping him by his legs and arms and shoulders as the boy's own father cut his chest open.

"No…" William half begged, no sound escaping his lips, as tears came to his eyes. His head spun in pain, as he struggled to open his eyes. Water swirled oddly around them, as the whole ship sunk. Red blood tainted the water around him, as his surgery continued. He screamed once more, as Bootstrap pulled the knife down the final length of the cut.

Quickly opening the wound, Bootstrap fought the tears that filled his eyes. It was terrible, hearing his son scream in agony, as he was forced to literally cut out the boy's heart.

His lungs completely void of air, William's mouth stood still open in a silent scream of agony. He could not imagine anything more painful then this. The seawater surrounding them stung his wounds mercilessly, and the lack of oxygen made his head spin all the more. Spots danced before him, as the operation was finally competed.

"_Breathe_." He heard someone say, although weather it was his father or his Father in Heaven he did not know. Slowly, the men released him, and he fell limply against the deck, his body instinctively sucking in for air. Somehow, he could breathe. His brow knotted at the odd sensation of breathing underwater, not knowing how it was possible. He looked down at himself, at his ripped chest. Slowly, he lifted a shaky hand to the new wound, grasping the red line in strange fear. It was perfectly scared, as if an old wound, and no longer bleeding.

Looking up to the men around him, he realized at last that they were in fact, his crew. He was the Captain of the Flying Dutchman. His father offered him a hand up, and he took it quickly, standing on the fully submerged deck, he looked around. Under the ocean, the ship was fully operational still. Memory crashed down on him in an instant. He remembered it all. The storm, the battle, the death of Davy Jones, Elizabeth.

Elizabeth! Christ's words rang in his head '_Save those you love. It is not there time, nor yours, to come home.'_

Looking around, Will suddenly found the entire crew starring at him. He looked to Bootstrap, as his father turned questioning eyes to him.

Will smiled. "Let's go."

Water swirled madly around him, tossing him like a rag in the angry depths of the sea. No longer aware of which way was up, Legolas' strong fingers caught in Aragorn's tunic, closing tightly, he held on to the man for dear life. Batted and tossed, all oxygen was quickly stolen from his lungs, as he fought to make out something, anything, in the dark, swirling waters that over took them.

Sucked down into the vortex, the nauseating swirl of the waves took him, threatening to fill his lungs, the water blinded him and pushed him further into the deadly abyss below.

Aragorn struggled to stay awake, as the rushing water washed over his many wounds. This was it then. This is where the story ended. He felt Legolas grip him tightly, as the elf struggled to lift them both to what he hoped was the surface. The currents were far to strong. Aragorn fought to right himself, as spots flashed before his eyes from pain and lack of oxygen. The unforgiving sea whipped him around, stinging his many injuries mercilessly, and the only thing left for him to find any purchase was Legolas, and the elf was just as bad off as he.

Legolas finally gave up. This truly was the end. He felt Aragorn's weak grip on his tunic, his frantic mind looking for something to hold on to as darkness washed over them. In the deep ocean, under the dark storm, neither of them could see anything, and neither could feel anything save the suffocating, maddening pull of the water, the pain of being in it, and each other's grasp. Legolas pulled the ranger close, holding him in a protective hug as the water lashed them around for what seemed like an eternity of painful, airless moments.

Slowly, the ranger went limp in his tight grasp.

Legolas closed his eyes tightly. His body was spent, his friends were dead, he had nothing more to fight for. Let God take him home. He surrendered at last to nature's downward pull, and his body's hopeless fight for air.

Even in his pain, he did not despair.

"_We aren't going to Hell, Gwador nin. Count on that._"

As quickly as it had come, the storm cleared. Legolas weakly gasped for breath, not even realizing that he was once again breathing. Air. Light. It took a few long moments for the elf to realize that they were real. Opening his eyes, he surveyed the calm sea quickly.

"Aragorn!" He said, memory of the dying man coming on him like a slap in the face. As they edged on unconsciousness, the water had eventually separated them, but the ranger was not far off. "Aragorn!" He called again, as the man's body slipped under the surface. With all the strength he had left, Legolas pushed his way over to the man and caught his tunic once more. "Please be alright…" Legolas' exhausted body and mind could not take this any longer. As he pulled the man as best he could out of the water, Aragorn's head lay limply against his shoulder, showing no sign of life.

"Breathe!" Legolas half ordered, half begged his unresponsive friend. Quickly pulling him into a tight hug once more, he listened for a pulse, a heart beat, anything. "Breathe!" He commanded again, using the last scraps of his strength, he pressed the man roughly against his shoulder, forcing down on his back.

Aragorn coughed hard, as Legolas tried his best to save the man. He sucked in air quickly, trying to register where he was. In the water, leaning over Legolas' shoulder, he coughed up water, and blood. Closing his eyes wearily, he leaned on his friend for a moment. Why was he still alive? He was not quite sure he wanted to still be alive. Leaning on his friend, he groaned the elf's name, a half audible mumble from his weak lips. It was just too much now. The blood, the sea, the battle. He momentarily gripped his friend as tight as he could, before letting himself slip away into darkness again; a final hug goodbye.

"No!" Legolas called "No you have to stay awake…" the elf could not support his friend's weight in the water, but he could _not_ have the man drowning. If Aragorn drowned, he would drown as well. And he could not have that. But then again… Why not? He himself was on the verge of letting go, and in fact, he already had. William was dead, and seeing the Dutchman go down, Jack and Elizabeth were too, most likely. On the horizon he could see the armada that stood against the heavily wounded Black Pearl. What hope was there now? And what hope for him? At long last, he remembered that he was not from here. This was not his world. He half wondered if this was all a dream. It felt real enough. His mind drifted back to the days where he was a prince, under the trees of Mirkwood. Never having sailed a day in his life, he had no longing for the sea. He had never heard the blast of a cannon nor the shot of a pistol, never pulled taught the lines of rigging, and never met a horde of deathless enemies that could not be killed. Back in the days when his adventures involved orcs, men, and elves, and the flag of piracy was one to be scorned. When men kept their promises and made fair deals, and he trusted his friends with every word. He wished now that he could only return. Thranduil, Raneian, Trelan, Elladan, Elrohir, Lord Elrond. He missed them all, and it saddened him that both he and Estel might die. What would happen if they never returned? What had happened to them anyway? He did not know how he came to be where he was, but only that he wanted to get back. If death was the doorway, then he knew it was close at hand.

Not willing to leave Aragorn, even if he was dead or dying, Legolas pulled him awkwardly onto this shoulder, preparing to swim towards the Pearl, just to get out of the water. Yes. To get out of the water. It seemed so long since he had been dry, and not smelling of salt. The elf longed once more for the trees, his home. For the long nights before the fire, the fresh breeze across the dancing leaves, and the smell of fall coursing through the air.

A splashing like thunder broke through the air. With a crash, his thoughts returned to the present world. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw one of the last things he ever wished to see again: The Flying Dutchman. Rising once more from the sea, he watched the all too familiar way that water spilled off its decks, but the new beauty that held the ship was lost on him. All he knew was that his enemies, the ones who had killed his friends, were back for more. Uttering a quick prayer in elvish, he tried to swim away from the great ship.

Rising from the deep, the haunted ship turned towards him, towards the Pearl. Legolas closed his eyes: He could not do this. Not again. He knew that neither he nor Aragorn could withstand another blow from Davy Jones. The ship was gaining on him, at a speed he could never dream of matching. It was upon him. As the shadow of the cursed, dreaded ship came over him, Legolas gave up at last, letting him and Aragorn float still in the waves. Whatever happened, he would not give up without a fight. He would resist Davy until the end, for William, for Aragorn, and for God. No matter how much blood it cost.

Coming up beside the elf, the great ship stopped. Legolas set his jaw and prepared for whatever might come next. But he could never be prepared for what happened.

Smiling, William Turned stepped up to the port rail. Legolas blinked in disbelief. "Need a ride?" Will asked with a laugh. Legolas stared at him, mouth open in shock. Quickly, Will lowered himself down the stairs that led up the side of the haul and reached an arm out to the two swimmers. "Come on!" He called. Slowly, Legolas made his cautious way towards the man.

How? Hadn't William died? He blinked as he approached, trying to throw off whatever spell had taken him. William leaned forward, grasping Aragorn's tunic as Legolas swam closer, he pulled the unconscious ranger to himself, barley keeping his balance as he held the limp, wet, bloody man.

Legolas gasped as he saw for the first time the long, crooked, red scar that ran down William's chest. What had happened? He watched the man carry Aragorn up to the main deck, and pulled himself up onto the boat after them.

Stepping up on the deck, his mouth fell open once more in shock as he looked around at the Dutchman's new crew. No longer sea creatures, the mutants were men again. The strange sea slime that had covered them for so long still clung about them, but the water had washed them of their growths and mutant forms. The elf looked around. The whole ship had been cleansed it seemed, and her beauty shone its best again. How was this possible? He was so ready to face Davy Jones for the last time. The new reality seemed too good to be true.

Will laid Aragorn down on the deck quickly, looking him over, the man was not breathing.

"Aragorn!" Legolas recalled the state of his friend quickly, dropping to his knees; he joined Will in waking the man.

Will checked his friend's pulse quickly, a fait beat that was barley present. They had to help him.

"Come on!" Legolas half begged half commanded the ranger, as he placed his hands on the man's chest, pressing down hard. Aragorn's limp body made no response to the move.

No. This could not be happening. Not now. When all his fears had passed. This could not happen. "Come on!" Legolas begged again, sudden tears coming to his eyes. Will pushed him away a little bit, taking the man; he quickly turned the ranger onto his stomach, placing his own hands on Aragorn's back before pushing down. Once again, the man made no response.

"Come on…" Will groaned under his breath. Saying a quick prayer, he pushed hard down on the ranger one last time.

At last, Aragorn's body responded. A sickly mix of seawater and blood was forced from his lungs, as he coughed miserably on the deck, sucking in precious air.

"Aragorn!" Legolas called, overjoyed at the man's return. Almost before the ranger was finished hacking up the seawater in his lungs, the elf grabbed him and pulled him close.

Aragorn groaned slightly at his wasted state, and the many injuries that Legolas disturbed unknowingly. "W-What… happened?" He asked, his voice shaking, as he continued to cough. "Where-" he looked up to see the ship he was on. Above him was the mainmast of the Flying Dutchman. The cross beam on which he had hung was still in place. "No…" He groaned, stricken, he knew he could not withstand any more. Curling in on Legolas, he closed his eyes, knowing the elf was the only tie left between him and life.

"No, no…" Legolas took the man gently in his arms, comforting him as best he could. "It's alright, it's alright…" He turned Aragorn around as best he could so the man could see the new captain of the Flying Dutchman. Slowly, the man lifted his eyes, trying not the shed the tears that threaten to fall, as his brow knotted in confusion.

"Strider, are you all right?" Will questioned, still getting over the slight panic that he and Legolas had been in a moment ago. Aragorn's eye grew wide as he looked the man up and down. A bandana girded his brow, as if the token of being a captain, but what caught the ranger's eyes was the deep, rough, scar that penetrated the man's chest in an unnatural way. The waterlogged shirt he wore still bore the mark where the sword had passed through it, but the smiled that decorated his face showed none of it.

"What… Happened?' Aragorn questioned timidly.

Will's smile only grew, looking between Legolas and Aragorn; he smiled to think of their responses. "I saw God." He told them.

Aragorn's brown knotted, as his eyes lit up in wonder. Beside him, Legolas' face reflected the same.

Will smiled at them, not needing to explain; his words were completely literal. "We've got a job to do, though, and it cannot wait much longer." He said, standing to his feet, he ran up the steps to the top deck, taking the wheel in his hands. "Ready on the guns!" He shouted, sending the whole crew into action. Looking across the small stretch of sea that separated them, He smiled, able to see Elizabeth Turner, his wife, on board the Pearl.

Legolas smiled as he watched the ship come to life. Now serving a new master, the men were what Legolas could only describe as 'happy' while doing there work. It was an odd combination, this spirit of cheer and this normally dreaded ship. But it was a good one. Supporting his friend, he stood to his feet, taking Aragorn with him, and helped them both on to the higher deck to stand by Will.

Following William's line of sight, the elf stood beside him, looking to the Black Pearl, as they pulled up parallel to the smaller ship. Aboard her, a beautiful woman, smiling in awe. Legolas smiled as he watched the two newlyweds be reunited.

"Full canvas!" His elven ears picked up the calls from the other vessel, as Will reached over and turned the Dutchman's massive wheel, redirecting the ship to stay in parallel, they turned towards the flagship of the armada that stood against them; the _Endeavor_.

For several moments, they sailed in silence, slowly approaching the heavily armed ship. Closer, closer, they were upon them. Aragon turned nervously to Will, who sat at the wheel, a blank, yet somehow determined expression on his face.

"Will-?" The ranger asked, as they seemed to be in perfect place to take down the ship, as did the pearl across from them.

Will looked over, instead, to the Pearl, watching as Captain Jack turned to Gibbs.

"Fire." He heard from the other captain.

Turning back to his men, he smiled at the once more normal life forms for a moment. "FIRE!" He told them, allowing them to do what they did best.

Aragorn covered his ears, shrinking back slightly, as the two ships seemed to rival each other in the ear-breaking sound of explosions. For a few deafening moments, fire and smoke ruled the air. Splintering wooden shrapnel flew like confetti as Lord Becket's ship was blown to pieces.

"Abandon ship!" He somehow heard the fait cry, and quickly said a prayer for any poor innocent soul that had the misfortune of accompanying their enemies.

As the cannon fire ceased, and they pulled away from the ship- or what was left of it- Aragorn turned back to see the smoldering wreck they left in their wake. As if one final act before descending into its watery grave, the once proud ship exploded- shooting fire into the sky and water, before disappearing quickly under the dark surface.

Smiling, as their immediate threat was gone, all eyes turned to the armada that lie ahead. Faint shouts were raised, as every one of the ships prepared to turn a hard about-face and flee the would-be attackers that had just taken down the armada's flagship.

"Well…" Legolas came up behind his friend, as he finally removed his hands form his ears. "I guess that concludes negotiations."

"Orders, sir…" Bootstrap Bill Turner walked up behind his son.

William sat, leaning against the starboard railing, in a dream like state. His eyes gazed unseeing over the horizon; taking in the sun's shining reflection on the endless waves. Today had been all to much for him. Thinking back over everything, he was still making sure this was not a dream. He thought back to the vision- if it was a vision- he had had. He had met the Lord. It was not a dream. The brilliant voice of God rang still in his head.

Hearing his father's voice at last, he snapped out of the daze-like state that held him. It was somehow odd being called 'sir'. He had never been given a commanding title, even when commanding. All his life he had been an apprentice, a second in command. But he was the captain now. The Captain of the Flying Dutchman. He smiled slightly to himself as he remembered that he was still, actually, the second in command. But that was well. He knew that God was infinitely better at commanding a ship then he would ever be.

Still, he had new responsibility. Even though he was not sure what place it put him at with his father.

Looking up, he simply stared at the man for a moment- seeing him for the first time as a normal man since he was but a boy in England. "You're no longer bound to the Dutchman." He told his father, who had undoubtedly suffered his lot in life. "You are free." He said with a smile. Somehow, he wished the man would stay. For so many years he had longed for his father to be home again. And for so many more had he given up on the hope.

"Aye…" Bootstrap smiled timidly and looked to the ground, not knowing if his son had truly forgiven him yet or not. "I…By my reckoning… I still have a debt that has to be paid" He said, looking into William's eyes, searching desperately for an answer. "If you'll have me." He added.

Will smiled, his hopes coming true. Standing slowly, he looked his father up and down once more, before leaning in quickly and embracing the man.

"Oh!" Bootstrap laughed, as his son wrapped his strong arms about his shoulders and pulled him in for a quick moment. He smiled brightly at the boy; never having been so proud in his life.

"On the wheel, then, Master Turner." Will said with a smile.

"Aye, Captain Turner." His father answered, taking his appointed place again.

This whole day had been too much for him as well. He was a man condemned and returned suddenly to the light; gaining his freedom and family back in one moment.

Will sighed, sitting back down beside the rail, as he thought over the situation. As he considered this father, and his ship, the Lord's words rang in his head. _"You shall serve Me for years to come. And I will show you My wonders and My ways. You shall suffer for Me in glory, and know that you are a child of Mine." _He knew the years ahead would be hard, but somehow, hearing the word from the Lord's mouth, he found no fear in the prophesied suffering. Even if it meant being separated for a time from Elizabeth.

Elizabeth. His mind snapped to the subject of his new wife. Looking over the rail, he saw her aboard the Black Pearl, as they continued to sail slowly, still parallel. He smiled as he made eye contact with her at last, as she sat watching him.

The smile was returned hesitantly, and Will sighed as he realized that he would in fact have to part with her for a time, even though they had just now truly come together.

Bootstrap looked over at his son, seeing the dreamy look in his eyes. He frowned as he followed the young man's line of sight across to the other ship to where Elizabeth was standing. He was not sure what all had happened between his son and Elizabeth, but he did know that he loved her, and that he would now have to leave her. He frowned deeply as his sight landed on the golden ring that bound his son's finger. This would not be easy.

"This ship has a purpose again…" He said, afraid to bring up the subject of Elizabeth to quickly. Will looked up to him with surprisingly hopeful eyes. They brought Bootstrap only more guilt in his words "But…where we are bound... she cannot come."

Will's brow knotted slightly, as he looked to the ground.

"One day ashore… Ten years at sea…" Bootstrap continued, pronouncing his own son's horrid fate. "It's a steep price for what's been done." He said sadly.

Will looked up with a smile. Bootstrap stared at him for a moment; wondering what on earth the man could find the least bit heartening about the situation.

"Price?" William asked. His father could only stare. "Is that what you think it is?" he asked, standing and approaching his father, he leaned against the stand of the wheel, watching the reaction of the man that kept it steady. "A curse?"

Bootstrap clenched his jaw, looking to the ground. He had never wanted this to happen. Never wanted his son to come into this horrible mess that he had gotten himself into. Looking up sadly, he met his son's gaze.

"Will…" He said, running out of words. The only way to take the boy's place now was to kill him. Something which he could not bring himself to do. "I… I'm sorry…" He said, turning away.

William's brow knotted in confusion, as he quickly pushed himself off of the wheel block he leaned on and came around to face his father.

"What…" Will did not understand.

"I'm sorry!" Bootstrap looked to his persistent son again, trying desperately to hide the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks. "I… If it weren't for me you would never have been in this mess, if… If I hadn't been a fool, you … you would be free! And if you hadn't cared so much, you… I am sorry…" He said again, his words slipping swiftly, but not gracefully out.

"What… Mess?" William was trying to take everything in. his father did not understand. He realized at last that Bootstrap had not seen his vision. It was hard to imagine how anyone could have not seen that light. But it was a reality that finally donned on him.

Bootstrap's brow knotted again as he heard the surprised tone in his son's voice. How could he not know?

"Bootstrap…" Will stared, not sure of how to explain. "Father…" He corrected himself. "You don't understand, this…" he considered what his father believed "You have been lied to." He said. Bootstrap could only stare at him.

"You see… Davy… And Calypso…" William was not sure of where to begin. He did not know how he knew what he knew, but somehow, when God had touched him, he understood. "They… It was all a lie… " He stuttered. It finally crossed him mind that the man before him, his own father, might not know the truth.

"Do you… Do you believe in God?" He asked awkwardly.

Bootstrap blinked, looking blankly at him as he considered the question with a knotted brow. "Well… Yes… I mean… Well, you remember, don't you? We went to church when I was there…Remember?" He asked, drawing Will back to the only other time in his life when he had had contact with him.

Will raised an eyebrow. Yes, he remembered. But that did not answer his questions.

Bootstrap tried to continue, seeing his son's unimpressed glace "And... Well, yes, I believe in God, I guess... I mean… The world came form somewhere, and… Well I fig'er someone has to, you know, judge the dead, and... and say what's right and wrong, and…" he continued. "But… why do you ask?"

William's face saddened as he continued to listen. It was true, then. His father did not know. "Father… There… There is so much more then that, I... I don't know where to begin!" He said with a small laugh. "Do you… Do you believe in Jesus?" He asked

"Well… uh… Yes. I mean… Yes, I guess so. I haven't thought about that kind of stuff in a while… Even the old sailor's tale's are forgotten when Davy Jones was captain-"

William cut him off with a hard, almost deadly-angry stare.

"Wh-what?"

"It is not a sailor's tale." William said sternly.

"Well… Alright, then… Why is He so important?"

William rested his head in his hand, rubbing his temple. How could he not know? "Father, He's… He is the Son of God!"

Bootstrap simply nodded, trying to recall what he knew of the story.

"That… That means _everything_!" Will said excitedly. "Father, don't you understand? He… He loves us." William's eyes shone more hopeful than anyone's Bootstrap had ever seen.

"But…"

"Yes!" William stopped him. "God is more then a judge. He… He watches us, and…He cares. He _loves_ us! He sent His _Son_ to _die_ for us! Just so He could know _us_!" William was fully immersed into his massage now, and he did not even notice when Elizabeth, his wife, boarded the Dutchman and came up behind him.

"And…" William tried to calm down. "I _met_ Him."

Be hind him, Elizabeth's brow knotted, but she did not interrupt the tale.

"I mean… You saw the storm... that was _His_! He sent it just for _us_! And… When I died…I _met_ Him!" William could not keep himself calm. "He… He controls everything. And when I died… He was the one that made me Captain. Because he has a purpose for me. One far bigger then the purpose for this ship. He _spoke_ to me! And… "

Aragorn smiled as he came up on the other side of the wheel from Elizabeth, standing to simply listen to his friend. It was an amazing change from the man he had seen so long ago, afraid, and desperate.

Legolas stood beside him, half supporting the injured man's weight, with thoughts that mirrored the ranger's perfectly.

"And this… Curse…you speak of… It is not a curse. It's… It's a chance to glorify God!" Will said. "He called me… and He said I would suffer… For _Him_! And…" Will stopped with a sigh, "I… I only wish I…" his voice lowered. "I only wish I could tell Elizabeth so easily. I Do not want her to disapprove of my leaving …or-" He sighed, running out of words.

"She doesn't." Elizabeth said quietly. Will spun around, his eyes opening wide, and his mouth joining in, as he saw his wife standing behind him. He did not know how much she had heard, but from the look on her face, she was alright with it.

Tears threatened to fall down her cheeks, but she kept them at bay, sporting a small smile. She had never seen Will this happy. She knew now that this is what he was created for. This truly was the will of God. Smiling, she stepped forward, grabbing his hand.

"If this is the reason…" She said, breathing deeply, and searching her heart to know that what she was about to say was true. "Then ten years is not to long…" She smiled up at him.

Will's eyes softened, and he still could not believe her words. He wrapped his arm around her as she stepped closer, his eyes inquiring if what she said was true. He knew she could hold her own without him. But if she could truly forgive him for having to leave- It would make him complete.

Elizabeth smiled up at him, her own eyes conveying the message that she meant what she said. "Ten years… One day…" She said slowly. "That's not to bad." She considered her feelings not an hour before, when she had held her dying husband as his last breath slipped away.

Will smiled. "Depends on the one day." He said, leaning down to kiss her with all the love in his heart.


	14. Chapter 14

Legolas smiled, leaning against the portside railing of the Flying Dutchman. Aragorn stood beside him, looking to what was behind the elf, on the island that they were anchored not far from. The ranger was struggling with an old telescope; one that did not wish to open nor focus.

William and Elizabeth had gone ashore, to say goodbye, not long ago, but Aragorn was getting impatient for some reason. Laughing, Legolas looked over his shoulder, his elven eyes able to easily see without the aid of Aragorn's scope. On the rock laden beach, William stood close beside his wife, most likely speaking to her softly.

Legolas reached up with a laugh, just as Aragorn opened the telescope all the way at last, and grabbed the device.

"Hey!" The ranger called, irritated, but not angry.

"You don't need to be looking anyway!" Legolas told him. "It's not polite to evesdrop" He smirked at the man, closing the telescope.

Aragorn laughed sarcastically, turning and leaning on the rail just as his friend was. "That's just because you can see it anyway. Cheater." He retorted.

Legolas only smiled, glancing at him smugly from the corner of his eye. He knew it was true.

Aragorn rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest, and simply starred at the elf. It was a long, but not awkward silence. It was odd; how perfectly happy and content two friends could be in complete silence. Able to bask in each other's company without ever saying a word. But it felt good. Aragorn smiled, as he watched the sun setting before them, playing tricks on his eyes; the waves appeard to contuinue up even into the sky.

For several long moments, the two sat in silence, before conversation was brought up again.

"How are you?" Legolas rolled his head so it rested on his soulder, starring sideways at the man next to him.

"Uhh… fine…" Aragorn considered the odd question.

"No I meant your injuries." Legolas said, sitting up nd pushing himself off of the rail, only to lean back down on it; this time facing his friend.

"Oh… that…" the subject was Legolas' new favorite way to start a conversation, and although it was just like him to continually worry over the ranger's well being, the motherly hovering had been the cause of much annoyance and much _more_ teasing.

"I'm fine." Aragorn said in an answer, trying his hardest not to smile.

"Oh, I see…." Legolas raised his eyebrows in an odd, unimpressed way, as he grabbed the man's hand, looking at the still bandage wrapped wrists. He then pulled Aragorn off of the railing and sat him down on the deck; once more insisting to look at the bandages on his back. On the beech, talking to Becket and Davy, Aragorn had truly worried the elf to an extent far greater then anything else on their little venture. And he had done it again during the fight with the Dutchman.

Now, however, his wounds were healing well, albet slowly; and already Legolas knew that there would defiantly be some kind of scarring from what he feared to imagine had taken place of the Dutchman that had infliced the wounds on Aragorn's wrists.

Aragorn sat, legg crossed, elbows rested on his knees, back slightly bend, head rested in his hands, and an extrely bored look on his face, with his light shirt scrunched up around his neck; barring his back and shoulders for the elf to inspect. He sighed softly, thinking over what all had gotten him into this mess. Much of it he did not want to think back to.

"Legolas…" He finally came to the same realization Legolas had after the storm had stopped. "When do you think we'll get…. Home?" He asked, shifting so he looked over his shoulder.

Legolas stopped, a confused and slightly saddened look crossing his face. He pulled Aragorn's shirt back into place, and scooted over so his back rested on the railing, then waited for Aragorn to copy the posture, before answering. "I… I don't know. I guess the real question is _will_ we get home…" He said, his sad eyes falling to stare at the deck before him.

"Legolas…" Aragon realized what a sore subject he had brought up. He scooted closer to his friend, placing a hand on the elf's soulder. "We will! Do… Do you think Eru brought us up together in Middle Earth just so we could spend the rest of our lives here?" he tired to make eye contact with his friend.

Legolas looked up slowly, his face revealing that he was contemplating Aragorn's words. He did not want to be the pessimist, and did not want to damper the mood, but it had been a question playing in his head for a while now. He longed for the woods again. But maybe Aragorn was right about this. He usually was right about such things. Maybe this venture had been for a reason. He smiled, thinking of how William had changed since their arrival. Yes. There had been a reason. But now it was complete. Or so he thought. Maybe now they could go home. Yes. They would go home.

Aragorn watched the small frown on Legolas' face slowly change into a smile. He matched it with his own, as Legolas finally raised his eyes to make contact with him.

"I guess you're right." He smiled fondly at the man, once again somehow surprised by how someone so different then him could bring such joy into his life with simple words.

"Of course I am." Aragorn smiled; it was now his turn to be smug. "Besides. If you were to stay here to long you would miss another Yen festival. And I _happen_ to know how your father feels about _those_!" He smiled, trying not to laugh, as Legolas rolled his eyes and shoved him away playfully.

As the two continued to talk and argue playfully, and continued to shove each other back and forth, the sun hovered above the horizon, dipping its head under the waters of the horizon, it continued it's all to quick decent.

"It's nearly sunset…" William Turner said quietly to his wife. With a slight frown, he stood, walking across the wet sand to a large, sharp rock on wich he had placed his most valuble possession. "It's always belonged to you…" He told Elizabeth, maving his jacket off of the precious chest. From inside the intracet box could be heard a slow, steady heartbeat.

Slowly, he picked up the chest and turned back to his wife. "Will you keep it safe?" He said. Litterally offering her his heart.

"Yes…" Elizabeth breathed in deeply, realizing that he was, infact leaving. She walked towards him, he barefeet caressing the soft sand, and took the chest in her hands. "Yes."

Will smiled slightly, taking in a deep, shaky breath, trying to keep his composure, as he too realized that he had to leave. He leaned forward towards her, still holding the cheast, his hands touching hers. He closed his eyes, leaning into the contact, as her forhead rested against his.

For a moment, they simply sat in silence, with the simple knowledge that they were together.

"I love you…" Elizabeth barely whispered to him, her voice revealing the tears that threatened to fall.

Will breathed in deeply, grasping her hand tightly. "I won't be long." He said, his voice thick with emotion. He opened his eye slowly, looking to her still closed eyes. He could not tear himself away. But he had to. He could feel the calling on his heart. It was time to go.

With one last deep breath, he turned away, leaving her there, eyes still closed. She stood for a moment, as if in shock, as he walked toward the ocean, trying desperately not to cry.

"Will!" she called after him, setting te chest in her hands back down on the rock, and ran up to him.

Will turned around as she jumped into his arms. He wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers about his neck, as they kissed a final goodbye. Closing hie eyes, Will could feel the tears that streaked his love's cheeks. Pulling away, she looked up at him once more.

With a smile, Will reach up to wipe her tears away gently with his thumb. "Keep a weather eye on the horizon." He told her, falling back slowly, and turning away again.

Elizabeth simply stood on the beech, as her husband stepped into the ocean' waters; some magic transporting him onto his new ship.

"Goodbye…" She whispered quietly on the wind, as a green flash shot up into the sky with the last light of sun; and the Flying Dutchman dissapearded on the horizon.


	15. Chapter 15

"OW!" A pained grunt came from somewhere on their left.

Aragorn and Legolas both shot their heads towards the sound, as William Turner appeared before their eyes. Criying out softly in surprise, as he tripped on a rope; not having quite perfected the skill of transportation yet. As he caught himself, he laughed, looking up at the two worried faces of those that came to help him.

Standing up again, William raised an eyebrow at the two; as they also began laughing.

"Let's go!" He called to his men. Before him the sun was sharing her last rays of light; floating dangerously close to sinking all the way under. Looking up to his father, who stood ready at the wheel, e directed the ship straight towards her. Running up to assit with the lines, the captain did his job as a normal sailor. It was a new experience for the men that crewed the Dutchman. To have a captian who cared about them. One that helped them; not lording over them with a bullwhip on swift call.

As the sun lowered her head at last under the water, a brilliant green light came up around them; as a shining mist. Those who had not felt it before called out in strangely delighted surprise, as the momentarily blinding light seemed to cling to them as they entered another land. At once, night was upon them.

At once, Legolas looked to the sky. The stars. His smile grew to lagr epreportions for a moment, before his mouth opened in awe. He had never seen so many stars. And that was saying a lot. In all his years; and even the last time, when they had been in those peaful waters at the world's end; he had never seen such a brilliantly lit sky. The very glory of God seemed to shine down upon them; lighting the ship with no need of a moon or lanterns.

Beside him, Aragorn smiled up; himself in awe at the sky; he smiled at his friend, knowing the stars meant more to the elf then thay ever could to him.

"Brilliant." William himself could only stare in awe for a moment, before snapping out of it. "Men!" he called to his crew, stepping up on a small crate that lay on the main deck.

Slowly, the men gathered around him; totally unsure of what to expect for their new captain.

"I… I want to address you not as my men… but as friends." He said. "My name is William Turner. And Bootstrap here is my father. But… As a first act as captain I want to assure you that you are all free men." He said with a smile. "I release you. And upon our arrival at the far shores, all of you are free to leave as you wish."

Quiet gasps were heard throughout the small crowd.

"This ship has a purpose." William continued "And it is not what you have heard." He said, taking a deep breath. Even as captain, he was not used to giving speeches or speaking to his men. "I… I trust you have all heard the story of Davy Jones. And of corse, you all know the curse of this ship. For some of you, it may seem like the only thing you have known for certain for some time. But.. I tell you today that…. It was a lie." He took a deep breath as he continued. "Davy Jones was a decived man, as were you all. You see… Calypso. She lied to him. She is not a goddess, and has no power over life, death, or even the ocean. But there is someone who does. He has commissioned this ship as one last trip for the dead. And I will serve Him with all my heart, for the ten years He asks it of me. But I do not ask you to all do the same. Stay aboard, if you wish, but nothing holds you here. Nor is there any curse on your heads. But please… Whatever you do… Before you leave this ship… I would like to tell you about God, my Lord." He told them, as the ship sailed silently, slowly on. "Um… Just... Come see me… If you will. Thank you." He stepped down.

"Good speech…" Aragorn smiled at him. Will could only roll his eyes. He would never get used to that kind of thing. But as he walked among his crew, he could not believe the looks on their faces. Some looked as if they were about to cry, others looked less sure about their new captain, but all of them held an unmatchable sence of wonder for the change that had occurred. They had been men condemned for so long. And Now suddently in the service of God.

Somehow, the ship stayed relitivly quiet, as they sailed through the darkness around them. It was a place where any noise seemed a hundred times louder; and sometimes talk simply was not needed. William stoo, leaning over the starboard railing to see if he could spot the first of the small boats he knew would come.

Last time they had been but a ghost to the dead that floated by them. But now, on the Dutchman, they would be real.

Bootstrap walked up beside him, almot startaling the boy with his deep voice "They will come…" he said simply. Will nodded. He was anxious; not knowing what his new job would be like. Were the dead social? Or were they really like ghosts, even now?

"look!" Legolas came up beside the two, his keener eyes potting what Will watched for

William leaned forward to peer through the mist. Sure enough, there floted a small lifeboat not to far off infront of them; a solitary man sitting straight up right in it, slowly crossing the almost nonexistent waves.

As they got closer, it became obvious that the an was probably from the navy, either royal or EITco, from his navy blue jaket and tricon; along with the rapiar sheath at his waist. It donned on William that this might be one of the men that had died in the fight. He sucked in breath as the man continued to get closer, and the Dutchman came upon him.

As the bow waves wafted under his small vessel, the man was shaken from the trancelike state that held him, and looked up in surprise to the ship that appeard to his left.

All three of the friends that stood there gasped at the sight of him; and Bootstrap wondered at their reactions.

As the man stared in strange wonder at the ship beside him, a horror registered on his face. He knew that ship.

William breathed in deeply, not quite sure he was ready to address the man yet. Slowly, as the lifeboat came to about halfway down the length of the ship, he leaned over the starbard rail to call down to him; It was a firmilliar name, but Will did not know if it was one of friend or foe.

"J… James?" he said quietly. The frightened man's attention snapped to the speaker. "James Norrigton?" Will asked again.

"Who…. Who goes there?" Fear shone in James' eyes. He could not go back abord the Dutchman. And he would never join Davy's crew. But that did not sound like Davy Jones' voice.

Will inhaled deeply again, before coming to a break in the railing, where stairs decended the side of the ship; used for launching longboats.

"It's…" Will did not know how James would react. "It is William Turner." He said.

James' brow knotted, as he watched the man decended the stairs. It was infact William before him. But what could that mean? Had Will joined Davy?

"James?" Legolas leaned over the railing, calling down to the man that had not so long ago treated his wounds and saved his life. Now the frightened mans eyes snapped up to his. "It's alright…" he said simply, as Aragonr cam up next to him.

"Admeral…" Will was not sure how to address the man. "Would you… Would you like to come with us?" Will extended a hand, as the waters brought them closer to each other.

James thought for a moment. _James, come with us._ Elizabeth's word rang in his head. He had said he would then. But what about now? Taking a long, deep breath, he looked up to his former enemy, before slowly taking his hand.

William smiled as Norrington took his hand, pulling the man up onto the stairs below him, he led the way up onto the deck.

Legolas lowered a hand of assistance, as James at last arrived on the deck of the Flying Dutchman.

Looking around in fear and shock, Norrigton tried to take in the change that had occurred since his last visit aboard the ship. No more did miserable mutants surround him; but real live men. He looked to William, still wondering what had happened to Davy Jones.

"What…" he could only stammer as he looked around.

"Welcome." William said, motioning around him "To the Flying Dutchman." He smiled. "I am her new Captain."

James recalled all he knew about the curse on the ship; recalling why he himself had never stabbed Davy Jones' heart. It was said that the killer must take his place. James gasped sharply, as he looked to William, seeing at last the large red scar that slashed through his chest, and over what would be his heart. The key of the Dead Man's Chest hung about Turner's neck.

"What… How did…" He stammered.

"It's a long story." Aragorn answered him. James snapped his head over to the new voice. He lookd the ranger up and down, seeing the bandages that man sported. With that in mind, he then looked to Legolas; happy to see that the elf did not need any bandages himself. He had never whitnessed any beating so brutal as the one Legolas had endured.

"What are… What are you doing… Here…." Norrigton asked slowly, realizing that he did not quite know where "here" was.

"Well… This is my job. For the next ten years." William said "To help those who have died."

James nodded, seeming to release, for the first time, that he had, infact, died. It made sence, really. He remembered a blade entering his chest; nothing after that.

"We're on our way to the far shores now…" William continued "You are the first man we have met… Would you… Like to come with us?"

James thought for a moment; trying to take in this newest chain of events. "I.. Guess I don't have much choice…" He stammered. "Yes… Th- Thank you.." he was still extremely unsure.

"Good." William smiled; a genuine, happy- even proud- smile. It was obvious he was glad with the man's choice.

But the smiled faded. James knotted his brow as Will's smiled turned into a grim frown, as the man remembered what he must ask next. "But there is one more question." Stepping closer to the newest passenger, his hand went absently to his side; resting on the handle of the sword that rested there.

Norrington looked down to it; inhaleing sharply; it was the rapier William had made him so long ago. He had stabbed Davy Jones with that blade. James half wondered how Will had gotten it back. But for the moment, the dark look in Will's eyes was what held James' attention. Strange suspence grew, and James was tempted to actually take a step away. But he stayed still.

"James Norrington…" Will said quietly; it was ment as a formal question, but one for James' ears only. And it was a question William did not like having to ask. "Do you fear death?"

James gasped slightly at the question. The last time he had heard it was when he lay dying. He opened his mouth to answer; but no sound came out. "Well… I mean, I…" He stopped, breathing in deeply, before opening his eyes once more, and looked at William with a stregngthened glance. "No." He said sortly. "No I do not."

A small smile crept up on Will's lips. "Why not?" he asked.

James' brow wrinkled for a moment, before he answered. "Well… I believe that… Jesus Christ died so I would not have to. So… No. No I do not fear death." He said, trying to sound sure of himself.

As Christ's name came from Norrington's lips, A huge smiled broke out on William's face; but it was at first unnoticed by the man that was trying to assure himself that he could be brave.

In a moment, without a second though, William reached forward and wrapped James in a tight embrace. "Good man." He said in short, as he held his former enemy in a loving and thankful hug.

"Oh!" Norrington said in surprise, as e was pulled into a strong embrace. His face showed shock and an awkward lack of firmiliarity with such situations. Before him, Legolas smiled broadly at him, and Aragorn matched the smile.

Will push himself away after a short moment, and looked up with a smile to James' socked face.

"That is exactly what I needed to hear. You are right. You have nothing to fear." He said.

"I don't understand…"

"What? What is there to understand that you do not? You are right to trust in Jesus, James. He is the only way to life. And I am so glad that you trust Him as I do…" William could not wipe the smile from his face.

"I…" Norrigton was still trying to take everything in. He looked down as Will extended his hand in a friendly greeting. Slowly, Norrington took it, shaking the man's hand slowly.

"Now… I am very glad to call you a friend." Will said. "A brother in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Norrington smiled. He had never had to much intrest in his faith. He believed in in times of trouble it seemd, but he had never met anyone who treated faith as so firmilliar as this. He had never know William to be like this either. Whatever happened, and whatever the consequences; it seemed to be a good change.

"Yes…" Norrington answered slowly. "But… what happened?" He could not recall anything after helping the pirates to escape; and dying in the effort.

"Well… Thanks to you Elizabeth escaped Davy." Will started "Yes, I know about that…" He told Norrinton, glancing at Legolas. "And then there was this battle… and…" William drew his sword, showing Norrington the firmilliar blade once more. "Davy drove this into my heart." He said. "Jack helped me to stab Davy's heart as I lay dying. And… Now I am the captain." He smiled.

James nodded, thinking over his words. "Elizabeth…" he said. "How is she? She did not get hurt, did she?" His concern for the woman was true.

William smiled. "No…" he made a fist and rubbed his finger absently over the golden ring on his hand. "No she is well. She is... My wife."

Now at last James smiled. He nodded. Long ago he had given up on the hope that Elizabeth would ever wish to marry him; and even longer had he seen the love between her and Will. He was happy for them. He still loved Elizabeth, but somehow it was of a different sort. He sought her approval, but... Not like that. He was happy for them.

"But, James… You know you do not have to accept this offer, but… Some of the men will be leving when we arrive, and you may too, of corse, but… Would you like to stay on board?" He asked with a smile. "After the men leave I will still need a crew, and I know that you are a good sailor…" he continued. "What do you say?"

James thought for a moment, looking to the floor, then up at Will. His eyes scanned next over the crew; or those that stood on the main deck, anyhow. Somehow they all looked so happy. And somehow, the love of God that William showed him truly attracted him to such a job. It would be nice to work with such a man, he realized; no matter their pasts.

"Well… Alright." He said with a small smile.

"Welcome aboard!" Will greeted each new passenger personally, with a warm handshake. He smiled: able to almost visibly see the fear washing away from their faces. It was such an amazing feeling. To help others and serve God.

As he helped them aboard, he noticed a stark contrast between them. He no longer even needed to ask to know who was a brother or sister in Christ and who was not. Those that knew the Lord had a certain light in their eyes, even now in death. A hope that shone in their souls. It gladdened Will's heart every time he saw them.

Those who did not know the Lord, on the other hand, seemed dreary, and confused. Some of them to frightened for words, some of them seemed to be simply bored with the world. There eyes seemed far away, and their smiles were non-existent. It was a saddening thing, their fate. They mostly stayed on the lower decks, of their own choosing.

Several sailors that had died in the fight with the pearl had come aboard, occompanied by many others who were not involved, and many more who had died in other battles on the high seas, military, pirate, and merchant sailor alike. Many of them had died by Davy Jone's hand.

As they sailed on through the calm, cool waters, Will went once again to the bow to look out. Spotting yet another boat on the horizon, he called out once again to the man, who wore a dark brown jaket and a darker brown tricon, occompanied by a white, powdered wig.

"Hullo, Sir!" William called to him, his voice joyous. "Would you like to come aboard?"

The man turned lowly, to glare up at the man speaking. Will inhaled a sharp breath, realizing who it was that sat before him.

"What are YOU doing here?" The man scoffed, looking up to Will. Aragorn, Legolas, and Norington quickly joined Will at the rail.

"Lord Beckett?" James asked in surprise.

"Admeral!" Beckett yelled back. "What are you doing up there! Are you so brainless that you do not know an enemy when you see one?" He yelled, still glaring at Will.

"No, Sir…" Norrigton started, swallowing oddly and growin hesitant for a moment, it only took one look at his new friends to find his strength again. "I have no enemies here, Sir." He said, smiling at Aragorn, Legolas, and William.

Beckett's brow knotted, but he did not say another word.

"Would you like to come aboard, sir?" Will asked again.

The hatred in Beckett's eyes seemed to grow tenfold. "I will NOT!" He yelled. "You can take your infernal pirate prisoners with you, but I will NOT be one of them!"

"Sir, we mean no harm. There is no piracy here. Simply the grace of God." Will said calmly.

"HAH!" Beckett was still yelling. "God!" He asked. "You'd certantly like to think that. There is nothing beyond reason in this world, Master Trurner. It's just the way things work."

Will struggled desperately to keep from laughing, or smiling even, as he contemplated what the man- who was himself sitting in the land of the dead, talking to a dead man, about how there was nothing beyond reason. "You may go your way, Sir- We just want to help." Will said. "Will you come abord?"

"I certaintly will not! You can take your 'help' and go!" Beckett yelled once more.

Will sighed heavily; no matter how much he had fought Beckett in life, he felt a pang of pity for the man; a man so lost in his own pride that he could not even exept reality, nor the grace of God.

"Very well…" Will said. Tossing a long rope down, he let it drape over Beckett's boat, leaving the option open to him for as long as the cord would reach.

Disgusted, Beckett continued to glare at all those aboard the Dutchman as he picked up the rope and tossed it off, letting it sink into the deep.

"May God have mercy on you." Will said at last, and then turned away.


	16. Chapter 16

"Gentlemen!" Will addressed his crew again, once more up on the stern deck beside his father, who was at he wheel. "Ladies and gentlemen, if I may ask of you one favor." He said. Aragorn, Legolas, and Norrigton stood together, amongst many others, both crew and passengers, that were on the top deck. "We are nearing the far shores now; you are almost home. But if I could, I would make one more stop before the last leg of our journey." The crowd took the news well, most of them seemed so filled with hope and wonder that nothing at all could dampen their spirits. It was strange, but wonderful to be among them. Souls bound for heaven.

"I know you must be anxious to get home." Will smiled at them, already knowing most of their fates by the unmistakable hope in their eyes. "But there are two members of my crew that also need a ride home." He said with a smile, looking to Aragorn and Legolas.

Both man and elf's brows knotted, as he motioned for them to join him up on the stern deck.

"These two men… Or… elf…" Will said, correcting himself. "Aragorn and Legolas here, have been a big part of my life; and if you are enjoying this ride, they are among the people to thank. These two lead me to my first knowledge of the Lord our God." He said, extreme gratitude evident in his smile. A few members in the crowd cheered, including Norrington. "But they, as odd as it may seem are not from around here! Not even from the same world as you and I!" Will told them. Once again the crowd, who had perhaps seen their fare share of the bizarre now in the land of the dead, took the news without to much apparent surprise.

"Before we reach the far shores, I would like to make one more trip, and send my good friends home!" Will told them, still smiling. Aragorn and Legolas looked to him in grateful surprise. "Mr. Turner," Will gave one last address "Set the wheel a few degrees east, if you will." He asked his father, and then went to talk with his friends.

"Really?" Aragorn asked, still in a bit of shock. The smile on his face could not be matched.

"Yes, really!" Will answered with a laugh, he put his arms around both of their shoulders. "It's not quite your time yet; either of you. The Dutchman's charts lead to more than just the far shores! You really wouldn't believe how many places there must be to see! But I have a job to do… At least I'll get to see Middle Earth!" He smiled again.

"So how do we get there?" Legolas asked him.

"In much the same way we took that Junk to the Locker." Will answered.

"By crashing it over a waterfall?"

"Close. But I won't loose my ship on my first voyage! There are other ways to get there." Will said. "You've seen what this ship can do." He added with a wink.

Legolas was about to respond when Norrigton came up to them.

"It's true, then?" He asked Legolas. "I mean… You really are and elf?"

Legolas smiled, tucking his hair behind his right ear again. "That I am." He said simply.

William's interest was awakened now too. "What are elves like, anyhow?" he asked, as he opened the door for the four of them and walked into his cabin.

"Besides the ears." Norrigton added.

"Well, we are a lot like humans, except we have better balance, and eyesight, and hearing…" Legolas started.

"And aim, and speed, and they don't get sick and they're not as effected by just about anything, and they're immortal." Aragorn finished for him. "Trust me, I'd know." He smiled teasingly at his friend.

"You're not an elf, too, are you?" Norrigton asked.

By this time, they had all made themselves comfortable. Legolas sat on the large bench in the back of the room, Will sat on the edge of his bed, James on the large desk chair, and Aragorn leaned against the wall near Legolas.

"No." Aragorn answered rather flatly. "That's the problem. I was raised by elves, but I'm not one."

"He's just about as close as humans get, though." Legolas said. He knew of his friend's highly refined skills that some would call elf-like. He also knew his friend's lineage. "Minus the beard." He added.

Aragorn shot him a playful glare and rubbed his beard fondly. "No, I'm not that close. For starters, _my_ age is still two digits." He smiled.

"What do you mean?" James asked.

"I mean that Legolas' is probably getting close to three thousand years old." Aragorn said.

"Three _thousand_?"

"Yes." Legolas said at last. "When Strider said elves were immortal, he meant that elves do not age like humans, and cannot die of age."

"Which is totally not fair. At all." Aragorn said, once more glaring playfully.

Will and James both laughed. "Anything _else_ we should know?" Will asked.

"They sleep with their eyes open and they are more stubborn then any other being you will ever meet." Aragorn said smugly. This time it was Legolas' turn to glare.

Will smiled at the way they acted. He could tell they were good friends. "If your ages are so different, how long have you known each other?"

Aragorn looked to his friend, still rubbing his chin slightly. "I don't know… years now."

"Ever since the fateful day when Eru brought a very clumsy ranger into the care of a very wary elf." Legolas said, recalling how they had first met so long ago in Mirkwood. They were both very different at the time. As their friendship grew, it changed them, but the change was a welcome one.

"Eru?" Norrington asked.

"Eru, or Ilúvatar, is the name of God in Middle Earth. He is the same God as here, of course, but with a different name." Aragorn told him with a huge smile, remembering when he had first opened up Regetti's Bible and read the stories in it. They were familiar tales, and brought him indescribable strength and hope.

"He truly is an amazing God who can bring together two worlds to write a story such as the one we live." Will said, a fond, far off smile on his face.

"Truly!" Legolas agreed. "Speaking of other worlds, you never did mention how we were going to get back. I trust you that we can, but… How?"

Will seemed brought back into the moment by the question, and thought for a bit before he answered. "We'll dive, just like you've seen the Dutchman do before. I suppose you two should stay here in my cabin – I've just recalled that you are the only two aboard this ship that are yet living." He said, a slightly amused smile crossing his face as he contemplated the fact.

Aragorn laughed. "This should be fun."

Will's mouth twitched up in a mischievous smile. He hoped his friends were alright with getting wet.

It was not long until the still water below them began to gain speed. Even so, it was misleadingly slow when compared to the huge falls that awaited them. Aragorn stood at the bow, unusually tense as they approached.

The ranger knew full well that they would survive. He trusted the Lord to protect them, and he trusted Will's plan to work. Still his stomach tied itself in anxious knots, knowing that somewhere in the unseen blackness before him lay a raging tower of water leading deep into the dark unknown. His thoughts flashed back to their last voyage in such lands.

He recalled his racing heart, sweaty hands, and terrified mind upon that day. He remembered his heart desperately praying for an escape from inescapable fate that held them. The Lord had not granted his request of escape, but amazed him yet again by laying His protective hand of him and all of the crew. A smile flashed over his face. The memory brought him not fear but rest.

Breathing deeply, he put his anxiety aside and turned back to the Dutchman. Legolas sat high up on one of the masts, seemingly unaware of the chaotic events he knew were about to take place. His eyes and heart were once more captivated by the glorious stars above him. He had been very exited about them the past day or so, after seeing a few constellations that he recognized from home. They were almost there. Aragorn smiled at his friend. It was odd, but he knew the memory of these stars would comfort the elf for ages to come, even if they were in the land of the dead.

"Are you ready?" Will walked calmly up to him, as he felt the ship begin to move even faster in the now speeding waters. Aragorn nodded, moving towards the captain's cabin.

Will breathed in deeply, as Legolas promptly hoped down to join his friend. "Let's hope this works!" The Captian said as he closed the door to his cabin. He heard the latch close from the inside and could only pray that the two would be alright.

They had reasoned that if they shut the door, the water would hopefully flood in more slowly, and give the elf and ranger enough air to last through the hopefully short process of leaving one world and arriving in another. But it had never been tested.

Will sat at the helm , taking the wheel from his father, as they came closer to the edge of the falls. "Ready?" He asked his crew loudly. From below, Norrigton, now made his first officer, nodded, checking once more over the door that guarded the two mortal passengers. Most of the other passengers had gone below deck, and now only those that had been made part of the crew remained above.

"HOLD ON!" William yelled to the elf and ranger, and to his crew. "DIVE!" He gave the command. The ports were opened, and the ship quickly took on unnatural amounts of water.

Within seconds, they were submerged in the dark, icy water that raged ever faster towards the falls.

At once, dark water began pouring in through the many leaks in Will's cabin. Legolas quietly cured in dwarvish, as it was once and for all proven that the cabin was by no means air or water tight.

He and Aragorn both stood atop the large desk in William's cabin, which seemed to be anchored to the floor. Within moments, the water was halfway up the desk and approaching them quickly. The ship lurched forward, pitching forward, and the two were forced to lean back to maintain balance on their high ground.

"Well, there goes that!" Aragorn said, his tone much more amused than he actually was. Legolas simply nodded, his mouth drawn in a tight, narrow line. He watched the cabin door intently.

"The latch will not hold." He said bluntly. Aragorn's gaze was brought to focus on the small piece of metal, and at once he had to grimly agree.

"There's nothing for it now!" Legolas said, as the water rose to cover their ankles. He jumped down into the dark water below. The freezing cold black water rose up past his waist. Te water pushed him back as the sloping for slipped him forward. For a moment, the elf slipped and disappeared under the inky blackness.

"Legolas!" Aragorn shouted of the loud rush of water, jumping in after his friend. He caught himself on the side of the desk and only barely kept his feet. Beside him, Legolas regained his feet, as the water slammed him into the desk.

"Find something to hold on to!" Legolas yelled, as the rush of the water grew louder, and the level rose higher. It was halfway up their midsections now, and almost level with the latch on the door.

Almost as soon as the words were out of Legolas' mouth, the latch failed and the doors burst open with a crash.

With a mighty surge, water rushed in and filled the cabin. The two barely had time to suck in one last desperate breath and brace themselves against the desk before the cold surge was upon them.

The next chaotic moments seemed like hours. Cold, dark waters swirled around them and seemed to suck the air from their lungs, simultaneously slamming both of them forcefully into Will's desk.

Halfway through the wild ride, the ship jerked drastically, as the bow shot towards the surface and the water flow reversed.

"Woah!" Aragorn's head barely broke the swirling surface, as the ship regained it's speed and shot up, seeming to suck the water out of the room.

Before the water had a chance to get he room even half empty, William was at the door. Muscling through the swift and forceful current, he pushed himself into the room to make sure his friends were safe.

"Aragorn! Legolas!" He called to them as soon as he could. Aragorn lay gripping his desk for dear life, as the water washed back over him. Legolas stood beside him, rising to his feet as the surge lessened.

Will dropped to one knee before Aragorn to make sure the man was alright. Aragorn groaned as he lifted his head, and a sharp pang of guilt shot through William's eyes. He should have known this would happen.

As Aragorn lifted his face, however, the guilt was releaved.

"Hah!" The ranger laughed with a surprising grin "That was fun!" He said, standing to his feet.

"You're alright?" Weill said, also standing, he looked to Legolas.

Legolas' smile reflected that of his friend. "After the Malestrom, that was nothing!" He said.

Will at last joined their smiles and stepped to lead the way out of the dripping wet cabin.

All three of them shielded their eyes as they looked out the doors. For the first time in a long time, the bring sun shone down on them. The sounds of the sea echoed overhead, and the waves once again crested on the Dutchman's bow. In the distance could be seen the western shores of Middle Earth, and the tall towers of the port at the Grey Havens. The two friends smiled at the sight.

They were home.


End file.
